


No Prey, No Pay

by FlaminiaK



Series: Sea Rovers [1]
Category: the GazettE
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Love/Hate, M/M, Mermaid!Aoi, Mermaid!Uruha, Mermaids, Pirate!Kai, Pirate!Reita, Rei is an asshole, Torture, but a cinnamonroll inside, mermaid!ruki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2018-12-26 05:20:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 27,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12052173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlaminiaK/pseuds/FlaminiaK
Summary: The Prince of the Oceanic Realm is captured by a vile, lowly -and handsome- pirate.Captain Reita will have his treasure, even if means to sell the poor carcass of Prince Aoi to the butcher first thing after docking.The journey to the next port is long, tho, and maybe he could have some fun with the fascinating merman...trying to hide the heart he has on his sleeve?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [miya_sugar_star](https://archiveofourown.org/users/miya_sugar_star/gifts), [Aoi_Sensei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoi_Sensei/gifts).
  * Inspired by [My Pearl](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11971749) by [Eccentric_Bambi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eccentric_Bambi/pseuds/Eccentric_Bambi). 



> After a little comic @miya_sugar_star made on tumblr and after reading the piece @Eccentric_Bambi wrote about it, I had to make my own (even if it will never be as good as hers, but I'll try! çwç Go read it now!)  
> For @Aoi_Sensei too, since some ideas came from her too! Read her things too, she's great! OwO
> 
> If you notice errors don't hesitate to correct me, english is not my native language and I'm trying to write this directly in english (so bypassing the long translations thing).  
> Enjoy~

He never thought the damn pirates could fish him out the water that easy.

Harpooned like a cursed whale by the final part of his majestic tail and dragged on the hard wooden floor of the ship.

His own precious blood splattered on the deck while all the mates of the captain laughed and laughed.

Being out of the water wasn't a big problem…at least until his body was still wet, but if he started to dry up, it would really dangerous “So, dear Prince!” the blonde captain barked with is raspy voice, a vicious grin on his lips “if there is not a _single jewel_ in your ocean as you insisted, then I think I’ll have to settle down with the gold they’ll give me for your flesh” he said walking slowly towards him.

Aoi gulped silently, he didn’t want to show his inner fear to the human, but he knew perfectly what the blond guy was talking about: merfolk’s flesh was looked up by human like a remedy for all kind of illness…including death.

Their bones transformed in powerful amulets and their guts used like food or making particular instruments “I swear on my bloodline, human! Free me if you do care for your and your men’s life!” Aoi shouted, growling his anger while his clawed hands tensed on the wood.

If would not be for the harpoon still in his tail, painfully blocking the major of his movements, Aoi would likely jumped at the throat of the pirate, opening great gushes with his sharp teeth.

The captain laughed again with the crew, before kneeling down in front of the merman and Aoi could see a more cold, harsh smirk under the band covering his nose.

His dark eyes were staring directly into his own soul, he could feel it “swear all you want…if you don’t give me the treasure I need…I’ll make one out of you…” he whispered, moving his irises up on the tiara Aoi still managed to have stuck on his head.

Symbol of his political power, but all of his most nasty spells could only be casted with his weapon…the same trident he lost while he was captured.

The only thing Aoi could to in that moment was baring his teeth and hiss at the captain, before launching himself onto him trying to bite the life out of him.

That mere, lowly human…how he _dared_ look the Prince in the eyes??

Aoi was able to draw some blood from a forearm before heavy and powerful hand sinked in his long, silky black hair to yank him back, almost raising his figure from the deck “ah! what a fierce thing we have here…” chuckled the captain.

The merman closed his eyes shut for the pain he felt in his scalp, while his tail flopped against the wood with wet, hard sounds “I love when my little victims put up some fight” the blond human rose his wounded arm to his lips, opening them to let out his rosy tongue.

The captain then caressed the ragged edges, picking up a good amount of his own blood before talking again “Kai, let our guest enjoy the view until sundown, will ya?” “yes Captain Reita” the human that grasped Aoi’s hair spoke.

Immediately the merman fell on the deck on his own tail, before feeling a couple of strong hands get his wrists up above his own head “ah, I’ll take this too” the captain -Reita was called so?- took the Prince’s tiara from his head.

Not taking, but literally ripping it from his forehead, taking away a lock of hair that was still tangled around the little comb on the side.

Aoi growled, thrashed, trying to move his tail or claw at the men that tied him up against the big mainmast of the boat.

Oh, when he would be free…there would be hell to pay.

The man Reita called Kai finished to bind Aoi’s chest with the thick, rough rope, before giving a couple of pats on the merman’s gills, just under his solar plexus, four on both sides of his body “you’re lucky it’s a little cloudy today” he told the Prince.

Aoi’s heart sank and his cyan eyes went from the man to the sky, where just a few fluffy clouds dotted the clear celestial vault.

They…planned on making him stay there? Under the harsh, hot sun?? “w-wait! No!” Aoi started to scream, a threat and a plea tone in the phrase “you can’t…I’ll dry up!” and at that moment the once playful voice of Reita arrived at the Prince’s ear like a life sentence.

His tone was husky, heavy and hard “good, more fish jerky for my men” Reita murmured.

The captain turned and walking with wide strides he closed himself in his quarters, while the crew started to move around Aoi, returning to their places and make the ship move.

Aoi panted with the first stings of pure fear: drying up was the first way to die, for a merfolk.

His gills, without proper lubrication, would stick more and more often to one another, closing up and making him breathe painfully.

The amount of air that his mouth would procure to his big lungs would never suffice.

Aoi knew that after that, the heat stroke would come later if he didn’t suffocate quick enough.

He tried to use his claws to break free of the ropes, but his fingers were too far away and even wriggling wasn’t enough to reach even one of the ropes Kai used to bond him to the mainmast.

Every time a man of the crew passed by him, Aoi growled orders, begged to be released, trying everything in his power to be heard from the human or from someone of his people.

Why oh why he needed to make a damned stroll that day?? 

Why he needed to meddle with those peasants, those humans??

His guards where all at the castle and even if there where some in the outskirt of his realm, he was too far away to use his voice to call them.

But out of the water…he used vibrations for his alarm calls and in the open air they dissipated too much, resulting maybe higher in pitch, but the duration was shorter…

Also, the third time he tried to scream for help, using his raspy, high voice to call for the guards -or anyone really-, one of the ship’s boys approached annoyed, thrusting some cloth deeply in his mouth “shut the fuck up! Christ, you’re a noisy one” he muttered before returning to scrap the deck.

Aoi felt the fluffy texture of the fabric start to dry up his tongue and the inner parts of his cheeks and there, he succumbed to the fear.

The Prince folded his body forward, moving his tail to curl up as much as he could and prayed on everything sacred in the Oceans to be able to reach the night, the cold, humid and safer night.

Trembling softly, Aoi closed his eyes and hoped that someone at home searched for him… afterall he was expected to the next Great Annual Marine Meeting to discuss some trading with other friendly realms… his good friends would surely note his missing, right?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the dear Prince gets too much close to the handsome pirate.  
> Also, drunk Reita.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here another chapter...FUFUFUFU no seriously what I'm doing...??

Slowly the sun died behind the horizon, sweetly sinking into the infinity of the ocean to get it well earned rest.

Anyone of the crew retired in their quarters, sleeping tight in their hammocks and rocking from time to time when a slightly bigger wave hit the side of the boat.

The deck was empty, aside the heaving figure of the Prince still tied up to the mainmast: his hair was vaporous, frizzy around his face, his mouth open while he was taking deep, ragged breaths through the fabric still on his tongue, his eyes half closed in the trance of his suffocation.

His gills were closed shut, twitching every time he inhaled the air around him.

Aoi could feel his tail starting to feel numb, his scales dry and flaky, all his little fins drooping and the bigger fin at the end was starting to look pale.

One of the hubs took away the harpoon from it, leaving only a gaping hole in his white flash, blood oozing out of the wound thick and slow.

Lazy thoughts passed his mind in that moment: he could almost feel the salt of the ocean, he remembered the days passed playing with his best friends in the kindergarten, the soft sensation of laying on a meadow of seaweed, talking and making jokes with maids and butlers of his home.

All those memories flashed in his eyes because his mind was starting to shut down, without oxygen.

Aoi’s tail quivered, spasming while his last strength tried to wake him up, to make him move “you learned your lesson, Prince?” a softer voice came out of his field of view and a couple of fingers reached for the rag to pull it out of his mouth.

Suddenly, a bucket of sea water splashed on him and in the matter of a minute, his body reactivated with a gasp, gills wide open to regain all the breath he could not take before.

Aoi coughed violently, curling himself again before raising his head, resting his nape against the wood pole: right in front of him, with still the bucket in his hand, Reita was looking at him with a strange look.

He was still wearing that silly mask of his, but Aoi could see his eyes shine and his flushed skin.

His jacked was no more on his shoulders and the first three buttons of his wine shirt were undone “y-you…felt guilty, pirate?” whispered Aoi, still growling and fierce in his mind, but his body was everything but threatening.

Reita chuckled softly, before kneeling down again to look directly in Aoi’s face “we leave guilt at the port, Prince” the blond exhaled and Aoi sniffed a strange, sweet and harsh scent coming with his breath.

A loud thud came from their side and Aoi flinched without even knowing, looking at the bucket roll away from them “and unluckly, we leave also women at the port…for weeks, for months” his voice was smooth and less dangerous, almost…caring?

Aoi lifted an eyebrow looking into his dark marbles while feeling both his hands caressing his body from his sides up, touching his gills, his chest, his neck.

There, Reita grabbed his throat and moved him slowly towards himself, grinning “and you know, Prince…you have really the face of a pretty gal, under the moonlight” he spoke tilting his own head.

Aoi could feel Reita’s gaze on the cheekbones, on the bridge of the nose, down along it until those dark irises sank on his lips, watching them with a strange look.

With a deep _hunger_.

Reita then moved quickly and while he was still pressing his fingers around the merman’s neck, his thin but voracious lips crashed against Aoi’s mouth, taking the bottom lip between the teeth.

Aoi frowned, confused about that kind of torture, but quickly the same scent he smelled before drowned him with its taste too, abundant on the captain’s tongue.

That taste was something new, something he could never imagine to eat at his own home: it intoxicated his sharp senses, it twisted his mind and made him malleable like the soft wet sand.

Automatically he opened his mouth, welcoming that wet muscle with his own, caressing it, wrapping it, sucking it.

It was not the first time Aoi experienced a kiss, he was the Prince and every mermaid and merman that crossed his path fell under the spell of his handsomeness, but this was different.

He knew he could just bite Reita’s tongue off, feed on it while the captain would scream in agony…but there was something in the way he talked, the way he placed his rough hands on both his cheeks.

How he moved his tongue, sweeter than a lover, how his knees where on the floor one on each side of his tail.

The smell, his eyes now closed in the mist of the kiss, his soft breaths.

The little, low groan that left his throat.

At that sound, strangely, Aoi’s mind snapped back to reality and with all the force remained in his tail, he shoved Reita on the side, making him get off of him “hey! That’s…not cute of you, Prince” he mumbled while forcing to be on his feet again.

Aoi moved his head, ripping the eyes off the dark form of Reita, saying nothing.

His lips still burned for the contact, his tongue was tasting rum for the first time and Aoi didn’t want to admit to himself that the brief kiss turned him on.

But just a little, mind you!

Reita looked at the trembling figure of the merman in front of him, chuckled again and then walked behind him.

The captain took out his sword from the sheath at his side and, with a quick swish, he cut off all the ropes “I think I’ll have some fun with you” a little, soft grin straighten his lips.

Aoi felt his body finally free and in that moment he tried to return to the nearest access to water, just beyond the thick railing on his left.

He was still wrapped with what remained of the ropes and the big wound on his tail was still pulsing, but he could crawl to the parapet, he could throw himself in the ocean agai-!

His thoughts stopped when a foot stomped on his caudal fin and Reita grinned more at the heartfelt cry Aoi left out “tsk-tsk, where you’re going? C’mere…”

Again Aoi felt his hands on his own body, around his waist, down his tail or up his back, lifting his hair to kiss his nape, biting at the back of his neck like a feral cat.

The merman was pinned on the deck by the presence of the pirate, his legs well pressed against his tail to block him from slither away.

Like sitting on a crocodile, Reita pressed himself on the Prince’s lumbar region, grabbing his wrists to tie them again behind his back with a piece of the rope near him “ahh…now it’s better eh?” Reita breathed while stroking the merman’s skin.

So soft, so supple.

His back was pale and thin like the one of a woman’s, with only his broad shoulders to betray that feminine frame “you mermaids are really something, uh?” Reita mumbled right in Aoi’s ear before licking its edges.

The merman tried to break free of the ropes -again, damn it!- but he stopped when he felt something burning hot against the little shallow groove on the end of his back, right where there were his kidneys.

“You just look like us, in some parts” Reita continued to talk with his gruff voice, now only his hips in contact with Aoi’s body “and right now…they are all good parts” the blond captain made a soft chuckle.

Suddenly, Aoi felt a pair of hands roll him on his back and on his tied up hands, and before he could say something really rude, Aoi choke on his very words: Reita was sitting on his ‘intimate fins’ with his baggy trousers open, the wine-colored shirt sliding off one of his shoulders to show his bare and well toned chest.

His left arm was raised to help himself being steady, pressed on the mainmast, while his right hand was all the way down his own body, caressing what seemed like…

Aoi opened his eyes for the surprise, looking at Reita’s member, feeling its tip touch his scaly skin just below his human skin, his hotness making him shake from time to time.

The merman didn’t know if it was because it was scary…or because the beams of moonlight danced so sensually on the captain golden skin.

He didn’t know why it was such a beauty to see, the human touching himself slowly, with long and thoughtful strokes, but Aoi couldn’t help but wonder “like what you see, uh?” growled Reita, his voice dripping with eroticism.

His words were a little slurred because of the rum and because of the pleasure he was starting to feel pooling in his own stomach, Reita couldn’t help but moan again.

He never moved his eyes from the merman’s face, looking his skin redden a little around the cheekbones, watching as his expressions shifted from hatred to confusion to regret, a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Oh he was so sweet…that innocent, blushed face that was only begging him to be kissed again, ravaged…

Reita lowered his chest and ignoring for a while his own erection, he started to kiss Aoi’s lips again, hungrily.

He bit down on his lip, sucked it, licked his sharp and white teeth while Aoi was still trembling more for the emotional strain than the physical pain.

Aoi closed his eyes like a mere excuse to not lose himself into those dark, deep irises that never left him, but he held his mouth open, panting for the intensity of the moment.

Reita smiled, a shark’s grin, and while he had his hands on the wooden deck, his hips rubbed against Aoi’s frame, his burning dick sliding against the merman’s scales, feeling that scratchy sensation send million stars in his head.

Ahh he knew it would be something amazing.

The captain never stopped, incrementing his speed while biting down on Aoi’s neck, feeling him starting to wiggle and struggle to get away from those attentions “shhh…be good” he growled in his ear.

Aoi felt Reita’s smoky voice make his entire spine shake and his hot…fucking dick humping him like a slut!

He was a _Prince_!

He was…a very powerful Prince that…needed respect!!

With all the might he could regain from his now foggy mind, Aoi hit the captain’s chin with the forehead before he rolled on the side, using the last part of his wounded tail to make his knee slide on the wet deck “don’t…you dare…treat me like that, human!” Aoi growled as angry as he could.

He was dangerously near to have an erection too for the friction against his intimate parts, but he would never be subjugated by that…blond pirate!

Reita stumbled to maintain his balance and fell right on his back while Aoi looked at him: the poor fellow was drunk as a sponge, but it never stopped Aoi from glaring at him one last time, before spotting his swords few feet away.

A new ray of hope beamed on the poor merman’s heart and he slithered quickly as he could in the direction of the blade, planning on free himself from the ropes one last time.

He didn’t planned a boot heavily dropped against his nape and the world became dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: this chapter contains high dosage of angry mer!Ruki peppered with a chill mer!Uruha  
> (To get the image in your head: Ruki is directly taken from Inside Beast video, while Uruha just came from Before I Decay...ok? Ok)  
> ~Enjoy~

_Ta-ta-tap._

_Ta-ta-tap._

A set of well-cured fingers tapped on the big, circular table, carved from the whitest of the driftwood and finely decorated with pearls of any sizes.

Those red-painted claws tolled against the wood again and again, more and more often while their ‘owner’ huffed and puffed.

There were a lot of mermen and mermaids around him, all dressed up with corals or bones or seaweeds, but none of them was the one he was waiting.

When his impatience reached his limits, that hand curled in a fist and it dropped heavily on the table “where the fuck is he?!” he shouted, jumping up from the stool he was sitting, all of his fins now totally stretched out in his rage.

The poison stings at the end of each barbed fin whistled while cutting the water and all the little strands of his membranes were trembling softly.

The merman next to him shifted away quickly, afraid for that impulsive movements “Ruki, calm down” the smooth voice of his friend, sat at that same table just few seats on his left, reached his ears, but the lionfish merman was not that easy to appease “Calm down?? He had to be here hours ago!” Ruki barked, his black and blonde hair waving into the water around his furious face.

Uruha sighed, rolling his eyes while caressing distractedly his own big and soft transparent fins, that enveloped his moonstone colored tail like a gown “I know you’re worried, Aoi’s always here before we arrived, but was late too in the past so-” “I’m not WORRIED, I’m fucking PISSED!” Ruki hissed back at his friend, swishing his striped black and red tail in the water.

The shorter merman grunted again, raising his hands just above his head before slashing the empty space in front of him with his claws “it took me three days -three fucking days!- to get here for this stupid meeting just because I was glad to see his dumb face after a YEAR and he’s not here?! I’m this much away to take my scaly ass back at MY Tropical Kingdom!” those ranting were normal and Uruha was accustomed to it from the days they were at the kindergarten.

The youngest between them, the smallest child in the school, but his poison and his tongue were there when they needed him: Ruki was famous for being guiltless when talking about revenge and self-defense.

Uruha chuckled a little “let’s check on him, if you’re so worried” the slender merman stressed out on the last word, making Ruki pout his lips so much, he thought they would fall “umpf…I would beheaded him at my kingdom, for disrespecting the King” the blond mumbled.

When Uruha got up from the chair and passed beside him, he rose a hand to pat his head a couple of times “there there Ruki-chan” he whispered “let’s find Aoi and then we could go eat out together, mh?” he added, slowly talking like dealing with the tantrums of a child “don’t talk to me like that, I’m not dumb” Ruki quickly responded with a harsh, snappy tone, but his head tilted just a little in that low-key cuddle.

Uruha grinned at him, before moving nonchalantly between the other mermen and mermaids, elegant as he always was with his big, silky caudal fin that moved in the water like a fine and translucent drape “we just have to ask his father where is he, probably-” “Hey! Shiro-fucking-yama!” Ruki shouted again, passing past Uruha with all his fins and quills closed to not harm him accidentally “where the fuck is your Shiro-fucking-son??” he added, making Uruha blush.

The pale merman immediately moved his hands to grab Ruki’s face, blocking his mouth with his palm “R-Ru! Don’t talk to the King like that!!” he breathed sheepishly, but a little laugh caught him off-guards.

King Shiroyama, father of Aoi and ruler of the Oceanic Realm, was a really easy-going merman, wise in his age and a good friend of their parents.

He ruled for many years like a good king, but everyone knew that his good mood was only covering up his true nature, that would emerge in case of danger: coldblooded, violent and sarcastic.

It was not good to be on his bad side and Uruha knew it “we’re sorry, Shiroyama-san…but we’re worried about Aoi, he didn’t show up to the meeting today” Uruha talked calmly, while Ruki was still trying to talk through his friend’s palm.

Shiroyama smiled at them, moving his gold-speckled black tail to turn and meet both the mermen with his dark, black eyes “worry not, Uru-chan” he spoke softly, crossing his arms on his chest “you kids are like nephews to me, I saw you grow up…etiquette must not be this present between us” those words made Ruki take his friend’s arm to lift it up “see?? the old geezer understands!” the smaller spoke but another laugh silenced him.

Those black eyes were not smiling like his lips, making him now more threatening than ever “but as nephews you must respect me like you would with a family member…these words have to be punished Ruki-chan?” that question made both of the younger mermen gulp.

A deep silence fell between them, with Uruha that was already sweating a little.

Shiroyama looked at them some more, before bursting into a sincere laughter “I got you so good!” he shouted, showing his shark-like teeth in the process “Ruki, you can breathe again! Your gills are vibrating” the King patted the lionfish merman on his shoulders.

The King then approached them and after clearing his throat -restraining his last laughs- he asked what was happening “We’re searching for Aoi, he didn’t show up at the meeting and Ruki-chan is starting to worr-” “I’m NOT worried!”.

Both Uruha and Ruki spoke one after another, their voices overlapping from time to time “Uh? Aoi didn’t return?” asked Shiroyama, before sighing heavily, pinching the root of his nose “I was adamant about him being here today…!” he mumbled to himself, before returning his eyes on his son’s friends “He went on the outskirts of our Realm to check our borders, since he got so bored to wait…probably he fell asleep _again_ on some seaweed”.

Shiroyama’s words were the ones of a tired but confused father “I don’t know why he acts like that, please go get him…we’ll start without you two and I’ll arrange a special meeting for you in the future” the old merman said with a low, husky voice “Ruki-chan, Uru-chan, don’t hesitate to scold him badly…he’ll get a piece of me too when he’ll be back”.

Completely stoned by the honest response of the King, Ruki grinned “oh I’ll eat his face, Shiroyama…you can count on that” he answered while Uruha rolled his eyes “we’ll get him back!” and with that, the two friends left swimming right through one of the circular windows of the meeting hall.

The King sighed as he turned back to one of his guests “When I said to you ‘don’t have children’ I was talking about this” his old friend spoke, a big tan-colored merman with a smile brighter than the white stripes on his fins and tail “You talk like that because you’re still single, Yutaka!” “yeah, but where’s the wifey? She always have an eye on your little troubling spawn”.

The old friends talked some more, adding their voices to the rest and slowly, both Ruki and Uruha swimmed away from the gatherings, talking to each other while passing above the big Oceanic Realm “if he was bored, he could just wait in his fucking room” Ruki barked again.

Uruha shrugged “you know him, always loving the outskirts…remember that time he got stuck in a sunken ship while scavenging?” the paler merman chuckled “yes, I remember that WE had to search for him…again. He doesn’t have a bodyguard or something?? You’re the heir of the fucking throne and you don’t have a bodyguard??” Ruki’s voice started to get higher and higher the more he got angry and Uruha moved a hand to poke his cheekbone “you don’t have one, don’t you?” the slender merman mocked him, while the shorter puffed his cheeks slightly offended.

They reached Aoi’s favourite place half an hour later, circling the zone while shouting his name “COME OUT OR I SWEAR I’LL RIP OFF YOUR FUCKING TAIL!” Ruki said with both his hands cupped around his mouth “Aoiiiiiiiiii your father is reeeeaally angryyyy!” yelled Uruha, looking around before lowering his gaze, watching the immense seaweed meadow below him just wave in the currents “fuck it’s cold here…” Ruki mumbled before stopping, fixing a spot between the seaweed “what the…?” his tail suddenly snapped and the shorter moved quickly.

He reached the sea bottom while Uruha was still calling and with a shaky hand, Ruki pushed aside a bunch of weeds and his azure eyes grew bigger when he saw Aoi’s trident.

That fucker didn’t even went to the bathroom without his fucking trident!

Where was he…?

Ruki admitted to himself, now he was worried “Uruha! Hey look!” Ruki rose the trident to show it to his friends, but at the same time Uruha called Ruki with an harpoon in his hand, feets away from him.  
There were at least three...no, four of them scattered around the meadow “oh shit…! Humans??” they spoke at the same time, before Ruki moved his eyes to the glistering, far away surface “Ru…I know what you’re thinking…! Noooo don’t do it… we must call the guards and tell Shiroya-” Uruha’s voice got silenced by the low growl Ruki made, before the shorter slingshotted away from him.

He knew the gaze in his pale eyes, he knew what that boiling rage was: Ruki’s parents where taken away by human, that was the reason why he was King already at his age…and now that Aoi was being taken too…

_“Nope! Stay! Ruki! Come back! Bad fish!”_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our little Prince gets attentions, but not the kind he wants nor the ones he needs.  
> (Note: Kai's look is the one with those all long mini-braids in the ponytail... the most pirate-y and the one I love most <3)

It took Aoi a bunch of hours, before his mind started to function again.

He wasn’t on the deck anymore, that scared him at first, but after a little of observation he saw barrels, cannons, iron balls and the entire place was soaked with that sweet and pungent smell.

Aoi’s memories immediately associated that scent with the captain’s hot tongue, his lips forced upon his own.

He moaned, frustrated for that quick flashback, then he groaned for the pain he was feeling on his nape.

That vile pirate kicked him in the head…it was a miracle he was still alive!

Aoi moved his head left and right, trying to understand what happened to him: probably he was dragged there while unconscious, but his hands were free and that gave him hope.

He could escape from one of those little trapdoors on the sides of the ship! He could just…!

Aoi tried to crawl using his hands, but after a couple of feet he was stopped on the spot: something really heavy was tightly tied at the end of his tail, just above his caudal fin.

A quite long chain was giving him maneuver space, but he couldn’t reach the door or the trapdoors behind the retracted cannons “aww really? Damn you pirate!” he hissed between his sharp teeth, reaching the cuff with both his hands, scratching it in his feeble attempt to free himself.

The firsts lights of the morning were filtering from the other side of the trapdoors and the ocean waves were calling for him so much!

Suddenly the only door for the ship’s hold creaked and opened, revealing the tall figure of the man Reita called Kai, a bowl in his hands and a bucket of water in the other “ah you’re awake! Captain was asking about you, but…eh! He got too much rum yesterday evening” Kai casually talked while approaching the merman, a soft smile on his lips.

Aoi stood in silence, almost cowering while watching if the pirate had any kind of weapon with himself “easy, I’m not going to hurt you…I don’t wanna disobey Rei’s orders!” he chuckled before lowering the bowl, showing Aoi its content.

There was soup with some pieces of bread and what seemed like fish “you’re…giving me this?” Aoi whispered, still tired but never intended on giving up that easily “yes, Captain’s orders too…take care of our guest until we arrive at the next port” Kai said cheerfully, like he never fought with him before, but Aoi still remembered his hard fist in his hair, just one day before.

The merman glared at Kai while he was leaving the food just few feet away from him, before his eyes locked on the bucket “Rei said you need water, so… here, don’t use it all at onc-” Kai never finished those words, because Aoi jumped him again, hissing and blocking his hands against the floor “free me, you damn human!” he growled “this ship is done for, as soon I’ll reach the ocean all of you will die! So make peace with the thoughts of death and free me right now!” Aoi sank his claws into the other’s forearms, feeling blood dripping on the wooden floor “you sure are a spoiled brat” Kai grinned.

Quickly as a eel, the pirate moved his legs to throw the mermaid away from him, before walking towards him and grab his wrists without breaking a sweat, raising almost all of his figure off the ground.

Aoi felt fear and courage fight in his heart, not sure what to feel in that moment “you’re the one to make peace with your death, at least Reita didn’t cut you open like a common tuna” Kai lost his grin, looking directly into Aoi’s eyes “and you’re lucky the captain said to take you alive at the butcher… because you’re really making me loose my shit here” the last phrase was followed by a hit.

A fist directly into his stomach, Aoi couldn’t do much but fold over his arm, gasping for hair and struggle his tail.

His first uppercut, it wasn’t pleasant nor cool, as he used to think listening to his father’s stories “now please… enjoy your stay, would ya?” Kai released his strong grip and looked at the merman flop on the floor “or… since Rei was so fucking drunk last night that he tried to fuck something disgusting as you…” the man continued to talk, going slowly down his knees until he was crouched in front of Aoi.

The flash of a blade made the merman’s heart drop and he could feel his own heart beat so fast it could easily pop out of his gills “maybe I can have some fun with you too…” with a serious voice, Kai took that little dagger he hidden in his baggy clothes and started to move its point under Aoi’s chin, making him raise his face.

It punctured a little his delicate, pale skin, making a single drop of blood draw its route down it’s neck “you know, my sister always wanted something special every time I came back home” the human looked at that single drop, grinning.

Kai then trailed the blade along Aoi’s bare chest, making him shiver “and the captain will be mad it I take a slice out of your body?” he asked gingerly “maybe I’ll eat fish stake tomorrow in the morning, what you think?” again his voice wasn’t matching his expression.

Aoi thought about stopping him, taking his wrist in his palm to disharm him, but he was tied up and defenseless… he probably would worsen the situation.

For a brief, horrific second, Aoi thought Kai would stick that dagger deep into his guts, cutting him open from the bellybutton down to his bigger fin, opening him like a clam.

His hazel eyes were so fiercely dipped into his own, Aoi felt a rush of pure dread “but I cherish my captain’s orders, so I’ll only take a little souvenir from you” Kai’s words fell on the merman’s ears seconds before the blade run against his tail lifting, scraping, ripping off his skin a bunch of big, blue and iridescent scales that fell on the ground like precious doubloons.

Aoi screamed, trying to slither away from that pain, but the chain was stuck around a barrel and he could only turn around, choking on his sobs and one hand gripped protectively above the new wound.

His pale skin was now blushed and bleeding where the scales where ripped, little red dots peppered over the exposed zone.

Kai grabbed the thick scales and moved them in his palm, chuckling “these will turn into a great necklace… be proud of yourself” the human said before a shout came through the open door: Reita was calling harshly his name “a storm’s coming, need you at the rudder!” were his words.

Aoi didn’t even looked at Kai when he left, he just curled up on himself and cried, his combative spirit starting to worn thin.

He was so scared, he wanted to go back home, he wanted to stop feeling all this pain.

His stomach throbbed for the punch, but it also growled for his new discovered hunger so, full of shame, he crawled slowly to the bowl full of fish soup, drinking little sips of it, since it was too hot for him to swallow it in big gulps.

Aoi satisfied his hunger, but he never stopped the tears from streaming down his face or the blood to clot against the skin of his tail.

The damage wasn’t big, but the scraped zone was long as much as his hand and the feel of the air against that new nude skin was making him feeling nauseous.

His precious scales… his mother would bite the hell out of that pirate, when he would come home beaten up like that.

He missed her and his father so much, even if he was already an young adult.

_“Captain, to starboard!”_

_“We have to cut that wave!”_

_“Tie yourselves gentlemen, we’re gonna through that darling!”_

Other yells came from above Aoi’s head and in a bunch of seconds all the ship started to tilt more and more.

Boxed fell around him, one barrel full of rum miraculously passed right at his side “what… are they doing?!” Aoi called, gripping the boards of the floor with his claws.

Then it happened.

When the steep tilting of the galleon reached its peak, Aoi felt the gravity lift up his entire body and for what he felt like an eternity, he thought he would hit the roof with his back.

The ship crashed again against the surface of the ocean with a roar after rolling down the big wave they just climbed.

The wood below Aoi’s belly trembled, water came from the blocked trapdoors and other barrels moved around with the rocking of the galleon.

Aoi squeezed his eyes while he was trying to hold on to the floor, feeling some splinters scratch his skin where he was clawing the wood, but he didn’t thought about the big iron ball he was attached to: it rolled towards the front of the hold and Aoi was dragged with it back and forward.

_“Ahh…! What the…! Shit! Aw fuck--! Ow…!”_

He felt like a damn puppet, unable to stop the ball to come back when the ship started to go up another big wave and he felt its weight drag him towards the door, crushing his figure against the wood.

Aoi growled and tried to escape that burden, only to be hauled again in another direction.

When the worst of the storm was over, Aoi discovered he was more battered than before and strangely his stomach was rockier than the boat he was on.

Ironic, a sea-sick merman… the force of the gravity never bothered him, now it was his greatest enemy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reita is a fucking insane captain that likes to challenge the ocean and get away with it...and Aoi loves bedsheets <3

Reita always loved storms.

Before he even became a pirate, before he would even sail on a ship, he basked in the fresh rain, in the sparkling of the lightning, in the sweet scent the earth and the sea always emitted.

When he saw the clouds start to group together, he smiled in his room: those fluffy and innocent things could easily drown all his men, but he loved their darkening forms anyway.

The blond captain was still recovering from his hangover, but once he heard the first of the many thunders that would come, he rushed out with a grin on his face.

While the crew was starting to run from one side to the other of the galleon, Reita’s eyes searched for his Right Hand man, without results “Kai!” he called then, running up the few steps that would lead him to the main deck “a storm’s coming! Need you at the rudder!” he added, looking at the sea starting to swell.

More the clouds above their head twirled and spat rain on them, more Reita could enjoy the color of the ocean: the blue-greenish tint, dark and dangerous, only interrupted by the white foam that hugged the sides of the ship.

Reita smiled, a sweet and genuine smile, when he thought their ‘special item’ in the hold was extremely similar to the sea: fierce, mysterious, vicious to those who couldn’t face him head-first.

Lethal to those who couldn't navigate right through the anger, the violence “Rei, you’re fucking crazy??” Kai shouted while the wind was howling around them, scrambling their hair and clawing at their clothes “we have to steer, I don’t know if…” Reita looked at the worried face of his Right Hand, raising an eyebrow.

A soft chuckle left his lips “Taka-chan here can take the waves, you know” he said patting tenderly on the wooden railing where he was leaning on.

Kai closed his mouth, stretching it doubtfully, but he rose both his hands and gripped the wheel in front of him, feeling it starting to move on its own.

The Captain stood right there at his side, while all his men started to close the sails, securing them with thick ropes “we need to cut right through it, Kai… y’know my style” Reita talked with a hand on his side, while the other was gripped on the rudder too, like guiding Kai without a drop of his force.

Kai nodded with a serious expression on his face and after long minutes of intense wait and crescendo of the storm, one lightning struck the surface of the ocean, making Reita’s hair feel the electricity frizzing in the air “here we are… here we are…!” he mumbled with a grin, his dark eyes looking directly in front of him.

Water was splashing all over while the ship was rocking between big waves, passing through them and sometimes jumping above them and to Reita, that was like dancing.

A waltz with Lady Death with every wave and every spatter of salt water and before he knew it, Reita was grasping at the rudder with Kai, each on the side of the wheel to make it stable.

Fighting against the very core of the ocean, impeding the hits of the water to make the ship spin like a whirligig, to roll on its side and bury all of them into their wet grave.

_“Captain, to starboard!”_

Kai was gritting his teeth, Reita could see that clearly, but the blond captain was excited, breathless for the beauty the sea was presenting just over the galleon’s nose: a wonderful, colossal wave was raising like a mountain in front of them.

“We have to cut that wave! There’s no way we can dodge it…” Kai spoke at his captain, looking at his deviously happy face.

Reita quickly took one of the ropes secured to the railing and used it to immobilize the rudder, while watching the more and more enormous wave they were approaching.

The captain glanced over Kai for few seconds and gave him a nod, pointing him the other rope “Tie yourselves gentlemen, we’re gonna through that darling!” he then yelled at all his crew “I’ll take the charge now…” Reita mumbled to Kai, shifting him aside “Taka needs my hands here”.

Kai tied himself at the waist, but before he could do the same to Reita, he felt the ship starting to climb up the hill of water.

The wet wood made Kai slip a few times while he was gripping at the railings, but he saw Reita’s figure never flinch even for a moment, his hands firm on the wheel and his eyes fixed forward.

Fixed on the dark dawning sky that was more and more near them, like the clouds could envelop the entire galleon at any moment.

And there, when it was impossible for any of the crew to hold on to anything that wasn’t a rope, the ship overtook the crest of the wave and glided down the other side fast, faster, _faster_.

Thunders and lightnings were blinding and deafening them all, but Reita was still clutching hard on the rudder with that insane smile of his.

Then, the ship hit the surface of the ocean.

And it hits it _hard_.

Water streamed on them, washing all the deck of the galleon like a swollen river and some of the crew got dragged off the ship, saved only by the rope they had around their bodies.

Almost all the ship sank into the ocean, but it resurfaced like a drowning whale, jumping out of the water before hitting it again, swaying up and down “you’re… _cough_ fucking crazy!” Kai sputtered, waving away some of the multitude of braids that where in his hair.

Reita laughed and laughed, while a smaller wave -but still big enough to be exchanged for a hill- started to puff up the ocean again “you can say it again mate…!” the captain chuckled.

They fought the ocean again and again, like they did as pirates, and when the sea started to calm down a little, Reita fixed his hair swatting them back and down on his head “gonna check the cargo, I’ll leave you the rest” he said cheerfully to Kai, that was again maneuvering the wheel.

The captain walked along the deck while his men tried to recompose themselves, dragging their mates who were still dangling off the sides of the ship for the last wave, and when he went down the stairs to the hold, Reita unconsciously fixed his shirt the best he could.

He opened the door and looked around “Pricey? The road got a little bumpy but you probably noticed” he chuckled softly, but his eyes grew bigger when he saw the merman fighting against the big iron ball that was tied to his tail… or saying it better, that was _on_ his tail right now.

He was full of scratches, Reita could notice they were fresh, and his face was showing anger and pain.

The merman had his back pressed against a stack of big wooden boxes that were dangerously swinging “I _noticed_ , thanks pirate…” Aoi hissed, groaning when he tried to push the ball off his tail, without results “stop it, don’t move” Reita mumbled, seeing as how the boxes moved more if the merman did the same “stop it?? I can’t feel anything below my fucking waist and probably I have some broken ribs! Do me a favor and kill me! I’m tired of this shi-!”.

Aoi stopped to try and free himself to let his lips vomit words after words, moving his hands angrily in the heat of the moment, but his elbow collided with one of the boxes.

That was it, the stack started to crumble above him: big, wooden chests that aimed for his head, his chest with a possible lethal outcome.

Reita moved swiftly, taken in the urgency of the moment and he could feel the cases hit against his back, his neck, his shoulders.

For long, few seconds, both of them were buried under them and Aoi looked right above him, where Reita’s face were: he shielded him from the boxes with his own body and while his breath was deep and slow, his body was trembling.

Water from the previous waves rained on Aoi, hitting his astonished face “you… protected me” he mumbled, still gazing in Reita’s dark irises.

If he was a merman, Aoi probably thought he would be the most beautiful one: with his sharp features, his thin and manly lips, the line of the jaw and those keen eyes, those dark abysses where Aoi was loosing himself again.

The little beauty mark on his right eyelid, visible at every blink the blond made.

Aoi started to feel the same hot discomfort that he felt the night before, even if the situation was totally different “what you expected?” Reita whispered in response to his shocked phrase, lowering himself on him, while still on all four and with a bunch of crates on his back.

Aoi narrowed his eyes not because he was suspecting a lie, but because he thought the man was leaning in for a kiss and the merman was waiting for it to happen, ready to respond to it.

But all bursted like the bubble it was “I need you alive, I can’t sell a rotting corpse” the captain chuckled lightly and Aoi froze.

Of course, it couldn’t be something different.

His face was pierced by a hurt expression, before he would turn his head away from the human.

Reita emerged from the crates quite easily, even if he was massaging a pretty painful area behind his neck, below his nape “ouch, this gonna hurt tomorrow” he mumbled, before he would put himself on his feet.

Aoi helped himself sit up with his arms and looked at Reita’s figure right above him “The guys needs to secure this shit better next time!” the captain spoke to himself, before kneeling down.

For the second time, Aoi lost his words: the man was opening the cuff around the last bit of his tail and pushed off of it the iron ball “I can’t trust you anywhere dangerous… damn you Princey” Reita sighed, picking Aoi up in his arms.

Another moment of pure, scorching feelings in the merman’s body, but again, Reita wasn’t a pirate that someone would read about in a romantic novel.

He didn’t carry him ‘princess style’ while looking all stoic or with a sweet expression on his face.

Reita merely dropped the merman on his left shoulder like a sack of potatoes and then he strolled out of the hold “wh-what?? Leave me be!” started to struggle, Aoi “how…how dare you treat me like this?? This is…ridiculous! And you’re hurting me!” his long string of insults stopped only when Reita dropped him on the thick, soft carpet in his room.

Aoi wanted to say something more, before Reita could cross his arms on his chest “you’ll stay here until we reach a port… if you get another scratch on you, your value will decrease” the captain sneered, before disappearing behind another door.

Aoi looked around and found himself in what seemed a bedroom, or what looked like to him.

A bedroom and a study mixed up with a big, heavy desk on a side and a King sized bed on the other, covered with the same things that made the ship move.

Aoi rose a hand and slowly caressed the sparkly white sheets, making his fingers shiver for both the silk texture and the cool feeling.

The merman glanced over his shoulder, in case Reita was already coming back, but when he realized he was still alone, Aoi slithered on the carpet and hopped on the bed hoisting himself with the sole power of his arms.

When he plopped on the mattress, his pupils grew bigger like the one of an interested cat.

It was _sooooo soft!_

And those white pieces of fabric where so silky and smooth and fresh…!

Aoi rolled on one side, grasping at the sheets, then he rolled on the other side enveloping himself with that sweet, soft object.

His tail whipped happily, completely overwhelmed by that feeling and when he took one of the pillow in his hands, Aoi hugged it tightly, snuggling his face in it.

It was the best thing in all the ocean, he wanted them at his palace!  


That place was also drenched with the captain scent, his hot natural perfume and the smell of rum, with that sweet tones that Aoi was starting to get addicted.

He closed his eyes for few seconds inhaling that scent and for short moments he lived again the facts of the night before.

The image of Reita on him, soaked by the moonlight, with his body moving on him like the waves of the ocean, that scalding touch, his teeth on the skin, his kisses, his hands on him.

Aoi let out a soft, almost inaudible moan while he was feeling his own erection finally surrender to those images in his head.

The merman rolled again, tangling himself up without thinking, resulting in something like a fish burrito “what in the seven seas are you doing?” Reita asked.

Aoi blushed violently when he heard the chuckling tone of the pirate coming into his ears.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where things are starting to WARM UP for our dear Prince.

Aoi snapped his head towards the voice and looked up at Reita in all his glory -again-.

The captain was standing in front of the bed, a towel draped on his now naked shoulders and a big roll of bandages in one hand “w-what are you doing like that?!” Aoi shouted, ripping his eyes off of him.

Reita rolled his eyes, still grinning “Don’t answer a question with a question, fishy boy… you’re rolling all over my bed making it all slimy with that tail of yours” the blond sat down, looking how Aoi flinched backwards, almost falling off the mattress.

The captain took the bandages and after uncoiling them a little he started shifting the sheets, searching underneath “w-wait! No! Stop it, what…!?” Aoi started to wriggle.

He could still feeling his erection poking in the soft, silky fabric and even he felt anxious and scared, the sole image of a shirtless, still wet Reita was making him short of breath.

Or maybe was because the sheets were covering his gills “hey, easy Princey! I just… wanna heal your tail wound a little! C’mon stay still!” Reita fought with him relentlessly, the merman totally freaking out while the human was almost tying himself to his tail with the bandages.

Aoi gritted his teeth and after being able do wiggle out of the cocoon  made of sheets, he slapped Reita right across his face with his bigger fin, making him fall on the floor with a groan “what the fuck-?!”

**“STOP TOUCHING ME!”**

The shrieking yell that Aoi let out, for once, froze Reita on the spot: it was not like the other times he shouted at him with his noble and thunderous voice, it was like the cry of an endangered animal.

The blond sat up looking at the merman still on the bed and saw his figure heaving through his teeth, free of the sheets, and one arm was wrapped around his flushed chest “stop…touching” he murmured again “stop touching me with…your fucking hot hands! I… I hate warmth…I hate… I…” his voice crumbled there, on itself.

His eyes were closed shut, but what shocked Reita was his expression: Aoi wasn’t agry, not like before at least, but his knitted brows were the cherry on top of the cake that were his bright red cheekbones.

What was he so flustered about?

Reita would make a snarky comeback at him but his eyes wandered down on his trembling chest and when he stumbled across the first little fins a palm under his navel, he just felt his own lungs deflate.

“T-Two…?”

The amazement of that discovery slowly made a grin appear on Reita’s lips “so the dear Prince has troubles with his intimacy?” he bantered the merman, that tried to give him his back “you’re the…the one talking…!” Aoi sulked, while all the stimuli he was receiving were making his head spin.

The heavy scent of Reita, the soft touch of the sheets, his scorching hands on him, his weight pinning him down before.

A laugh surprised Aoi and he turned to see Reita’s face too much closer to him “I never expected you to be such a lewd mermaid” the blond whispered right into his ear, showing his teeth in a knowing grin.

Aoi shivered for the sole contact of his hot breath against his skin and he then looked into his black, mesmerizing eyes, his face completely gone mad for the pleasure he was trying to gulp down.

He wouldn’t never… do something like that with the pirate, never…

But when the thought popped into Aoi’s mind, the possibilities of letting himself be _pillaged_ by the pirate on that bed, the images of what could be…

Aoi exhaled deeply, trembling in that violent wave of sudden, hot-red pleasure.

The merman moved his quivering lips and talked with soft, low voice “merman… I’m not female… only… females are called mermaid” he tried to be hardboiled than he actually was feeling.

He was trying to exclude dirty thoughts from his head, talking about basic things like that, but Aoi found it so difficult to do, since Reita’s hands were now grazing just above his pale skin.

Another laugh -sweet and husky- shattered all his last barriers “uh, so the women of your place are all lucky to have men as wonderful as you?” Reita whispered again, moving his hands around the merman shape.  


With quick, swift movement Reita grabbed Aoi’s arms and forced him with his back on the mattress, taking the sheets to wrap them around his wrists “a-again, I told y-you…!” the merman was shaking from head to fin and Reita licked his lips: he usually didn’t like fish, but he felt a little hungry grow.

And that little, blushed fishy was the perfect main course.

The captain lowered slowly now, brushing his lips against Aoi’s forehead “shhh, I’m not gonna hurt you” he breathed, trying to soothe him out of his fear.

Aoi didn’t know what to want in that moment, that body over his was both dreadful and reassuring at the same time, but he felt Reita’s lips between the eyebrows, on his closed and fluttering eyelids, on both his cheeks “why… why are you doing this?” Aoi whimpered softly, between pleasure and despair.

Afterall, Reita was still all on four on him, his baggy trousers stroking softly his intimate parts “your men…scavenged my oceans… y-you harpooned me for fuck’s sake! And…kidnapped me…hit me… almost killed me… I was battered, got hurt by one of…of your men” the list Aoi was rattling off was accompanying Reita’s hands all over his body, caressing his arms carefully, until the last phrase “what?” Reita straightened his back to look directly at Aoi’s face.

The merman was still vibrating and Reita had to take his face between his palms to calm him down and make him open his eyes “who did it? My orders were…” “the man with strange, long hair… listen: you’re human, worse than an animal at my eyes, but please I beg of you…” the two were glazing at each others’ eyes, Reita’s soft rage building while Aoi was on the verge of tears “if my destiny is to be slaughtered, so be it, but… I’m tired of the pain… I don’t want pain anymore” the merman’s voice was just a strained whisper now, his throat closed by held-down sobs.

A deep silence fell between the two, interrupted all of a sudden by a hoarse wail from Aoi’s throat, followed by a twitch of his tail and soft rub of his hips against Reita’s trousers.

The blond chuckled “I bet you’ll feel anything but pain right now, Princey” Reita moved against him with his own hips, looking at the confused, struggling expression of the merman.

Another moan, Aoi’s head shifted on a side and his tied hands jerked “it’s your fault… damn human and… nnh~ your stupid fabric…” tried to defend himself, Aoi, with the little courage he had left.

Reita stood silent, lowering himself again to capture his lips into a heated, sloppy kiss, crushing him with his mouth.

The captain’s arm went down to hook Aoi by the waist and he hoisted him up abruptly, making his lower parts press painfully against his own, still clothed, while he was pressing his other elbow just few inches away from the merman’s head.

Aoi wiggled his tail making it pat on the mattress and his lips parted instinctively, panting and letting the human tongue to play with his own.

The merman’s head was in full haze, his eyes hooded while glancing at the near, beautiful features of the captain, and he felt his teeth bite down on his bottom lip.

He felt his hot body against his own, his arm around the waist never lost grip and Aoi seemed to be in a trap that would never release him.

Reita breathed slowly against his mouth the moment they separated, peering directly into his soul and a little smile formed on his lips now “never thought… having a creature like you in my bed… would be so inviting” the blond chuckled, amused by the bright red glowing on Aoi’s cheeks.

The merman tried to speak -he was trying to maintain a little of pride, for all the oceans!- but when Aoi patted again the tail on the bed, the movement pressed him against Reita’s body, feeling something _hard_ just behind the rough fabric of his trousers.

Another moan, another tug at the sheets enveloping his wrists.

Aoi had the compelling feeling in his guts starting to make him insane, the incandescence scalding his abs and making his double member move on its own from time to time “f-free me” Aoi whispered, stretching his neck to search for Reita’s lips, chin, neck “Nope Princey” Reita replied with delighted voice.

Aoi moaned in frustration and a glint in his eyes quickly lit up: the merman hooked his bounded wrists around Reita’s neck and using the tail as a level, he changed positions, pinning the captain under him.

Aoi kissed him as violently as Reita did before, just with a pinch of desperation in it, brushing his hips against the human, drinking his low, smoky growls with his tongue “such a… bold Prince are you” Reita breathed.

The captain moved his hands to grasp Aoi’s back, sliding his palms down until he felt his sleek scales under the finger and there he pressed the merman against him, moving Aoi’s hips at his own rhythm, trapping him with a raised knee on his side and his other foot just above the big, trembling fin.

Aoi moaned again and again, the friction giving him dense pleasure, erasing for a moment all the vows he made with himself to _not have sex with that particular human_.

But his body was so appealing, his voice whispering lewd words into his ear, his lips against the throat, his teeth into his flesh.

Both of them were practically fighting for making the other fall into the pit of the lusty passion, but both were so enthralled with each other’s kisses that the bed was a total mess before Reita could feel Aoi loose himself.

Reita heard his voice mumble little, heartfelt words “more… no more… yes…” he was so confused by his cravings that Reita found him cute in that moment: Aoi’s hair were all over his naked shoulders, caressing his flustered face, some where stuck on his shiny, wet, rosy, heaving lips.

His chest now arched and his head tilting back while the waves of pleasure crashed on him like a beach, his tied hands gripping hard at his blond hair on his nape.

Reita bite down on his own lip, when he felt Aoi cry earnestly in his climax and a hot feeling suddenly pooled between them “you naughty thing…” Reita mumbled, his amusement completely erased from his face.

Aoi felt one of the captain’s hands caress his still arched back up, up to his nape, wrapping his fingers with his inky, damp hair and when the merman looked down at Reita’s eyes, his heart jumped into his throat “ _we’re not done yet_ ” the captain growled, totally enthralled by the elegant frame still on his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vote for your next chapter!  
> Where our adored Prince will stay?  
> 1) Stay top and ride me, Fishy Boy  
> 2) Roll over and bottom, Princey
> 
> [Arched Aoi is the best Aoi *remembers Dim Scene concert* NNNGH~]


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reita loves to top, Aoi loves to get hammered hard and fast by pirates...they'll surely get along, ne?

Reita cuddled Aoi’s neck with his finger, looking at his face completely destroyed by his late orgasm.

He smirked, when he saw the shocked expression in those soft and mesmerizing features and a new fire light up his cyan eyes.

Those bright irises, the same color of the ocean in a sunny day, was what amazed Reita the most “Wh-what…are you…saying?” Aoi breathed heavily, still trapped against Reita’s body.

The Captain grinned and used a little of his strength to force Aoi down, kissing his lips again, slowly and steady this time.

Reita wanted to taste his mouth like a sommelier would do with the most precious wine and while he was at it, his other hand shifted to reach between them.

Aoi moved back few inches, giving in the kiss with all his body pounding with what remained of the precedent explosion of pleasure, lifting his hips up.

Reita then worked quickly, opening and moving aside his trousers before he would turn his wrist and grab both of Aoi’s erections, feeling them in his palm just like a human’s.

Maybe they were a little longer and a little slender than his own, but together they were quite a delicious size “n-no” Aoi mumbled, vibrating on him “you’re still up and running, uh Princey? You mermen have a lot of stamina” joked Reita, stroking his dicks with sluggish movements.

Aoi whimpered, now more sensible because of his orgasm, and while Reita was caressing his head, that other hand slithered down, searching for some entrance to tease “he-hey…you’re… going too far…” Aoi breathed against Reita’s neck.

He was too tired to fight now, too much into the mindset of getting hammered by a pirate.

If his father ever knew it, Aoi was sure he would be pissed… his mother would be so disappointed… his frien- _nnnnh_ ~

Aoi’s thoughts got completely erased by a movement against him: Reita found his little slit, just below the root of his members, and was now massaging it slowly.

Then Reita kissed him again, soaking in Aoi’s little moans and gasps, tightening the hold in his hair so he could stop the merman from leaving or shifting away from his kiss.

Aoi wiggled against Reita, trying to escape that single finger, but due to the position he only got Reita to sink inside him more and more, enveloping him with his hot, sleek inner walls.

The merman’s eyes closed shut, while he sucked air noisily, both his hands now grasped to the pillow behind Reita’s head “you’re so warm…” the captain murmured, amazed by that discovery “you’re…full of surprises, Princey” chuckled then, kissing the line of his jaw sweetly, reaching for his ear with both teeth and tongue in action against his skin.

There, Reita whispered a sentence that made the entire body of the merman tremble with lust “what about using those hips of yours and fuck yourself on me?” the blond sighed with a sharp smirk, his eyes hooded above the scrap of fabric on his nose.

Aoi twitched at that request -that felt like an order- and Reita’s hand stopped his movements against… _inside_ of him.

He was really… waiting for him to do all the work?? “what… a conceited… human…” Aoi panted, bowing his head until the forehead met his collarbones and with a little of work, Aoi rose his hips again with his strong swimming muscles, descending then on his hands until his palm was pressed against him.

Again and again, Aoi managed to move on his own, moaning from time to time when Reita added a finger, stretching his opening wider and wider.

All of Aoi’s little fins were fluttering, his big one at the end of his tail was pressing on the mattress to have a foothold, his gills fully opened now to let air enter his big lungs.

Then and there, Reita felt his liquid warmth surround four of his fingers and while the captain was still hypnotized by his movements and the sweet sound he was making, Aoi started to tremble from head to fin.

One of his hard-ons was leaking precum, a shiny and translucent string that went from one of his pointy tips to the captain’s abdomen.

_Too much… is too much…_

Aoi lowered with a wet _slap_ against Reita and his body gave in, unable to move on its own one more time “Princey?” Reita called him, obtaining only a deep moan and the feeling of Aoi’s hands on the back of his head “p-please…” the merman whispered.

His ragged breath slided on the tanner skin of Reita, caressing him, tickling him with its warmth “please what, Princey?” again the mocking tone of Reita made the merman frustrated.

Aoi raised his head and looked at the captain in front of him “you…dumb shit…” Aoi growled, shutting his eyes before grinding hard against him, on his fingers, on his now naked dick “I… can’t move… anymore” the merman added “ _please._ Fuck. Me. Senseless”.

That low voice, that snarling tone, that royal aura around him, those glimmering eyes that pierced Reita from side to side, right through his soul.

Right down his now rock-solid boner that twitched in response.

Reita couldn’t wait more than few seconds and he slammed Aoi on his back, removing his fingers from that now open, shuddering entrance.

He had still Aoi’s hands behind his neck and he could see the merman under him jerk his arms to force Reita down on him, demanding kisses one after the other.

The blond pirate took the merman’s hips with one arm like before and he poked at the sleek slit with the tip of his own member, missing it a few times because of the vibrating struggling of Aoi.

But at last he got to enter him again, to the hilt in one go and Aoi cried out loud his pleasure, arching against the bed “oh…fuck” Reita murmured when he could feel Aoi’s inner walls grasping at him with million of microscopic feelers.

Barbels that stroked him even if he was motionless “m-move… please… move… more…” Aoi’s whimpers waked him from the startle he was fallen into and with a slow roll of the hips, Reita discovered two things.

First, those palps where so tight around him that was almost painful to move in and out, even if the merman’s body was practically leaking with natural lubricant.

Second, the new, heartfelt noises Aoi was making were the best sounds Reita ever heard: moans, whimpers, empty swallows.

At every lunge of Reita’s cock inside him, the merman fell deeper into madness, lust covering his skin with red flush and his lips open, gaping for the air that his gills couldn’t take.

Aoi was overwhelmed with emotions and sensations, both physically and mentally: Reita kidnapped him, hurt him so much, but he came back to wet him the first night and now he was making him see the stars in that bed.

After bandaging his wounded tail, even!

Maybe that pirate wasn’t that bad… but he was still adamant about selling him to the butcher on the next port…?

Aoi suddenly felt the change of pace that Reita made and from the slow waver he rocked into him, now he was thrusting in faster, harder, deeper “—hhhnnnyes! fuck–! fuck fuck fuck _fuck **fuck**_ ~”.

The merman arched against the human trying to keep up to the movements, sobbing and crying in total bliss, clawing at the back of the pirate until blood dripped along Reita’s arms.

The captain wasn’t minding the pain of those scrapes, he was lost into the pure lust he was living now, the cold skin against him and the sweltering around his cock.

Reita looked down between his own blond and scrambled strands of hair and he saw something that got his inner fire blow up, break his limits of how horny he could feel: Aoi was lying below him, sweat pearl his skin and his gills flapping open and closed fiercely at every heave of his chest.

Then, Reita got to rest his eyes on the merman’s face and that almost made the human’s heart stop.

His hooded eyes were rolled back, leaving trails of tears on both his temples and into his long, inky hair that were strewn all over the mattress and the pillow.   


Aoi was smiling, a foolish smile with his mouth open to gasp and moan and whimper, his slightly forked tongue hanging out of his wonderful lips; he barely managed to talk, let alone making complete sentences.

Reita blushed hard looking down at his expression, no women or men ever looked like that while having sex with him, never in his life!

Then that merman came and made him go through an immense, no! infinite amount of pleasure “Re–!” the captain heard Aoi mumble something, among the wet sounds of their lovemaking and the deep, growl-like huffs escaping from the human.

Aoi screamed like his life was in danger, a heartfelt wail that shook him entirely “Rei…Reita…Rei…! Rei–” he started to call his name again and again, with his husky, need voice and Reita pressed him more into the mattress, finally loosing the final strands of his lucidity.

Reita pounded him hard, now, biting down on his neck to muffle his groan and Aoi went completely mad, yelling a long string of _yes_ and _more_ and _harder_ “you… spoiled…Princey…” Reita chuckled without breath, before gripping Aoi’s hips with both arms.

The captain sank to the hilt once more and there he stood, grinding hard and quick, licking and sucking on Aoi’s neck, completely arched and on display for him.

Aoi didn’t know he could ever have an orgasm as potent as that one, but his body surprised him when he spurted again between their chests and abdomens, so much he could feel his own drop of pleasure on his own face “ahhhnn~ Re- i-” his entire frame convulsed while Reita was riding to his conclusion, patting his tail and holding for dear life on the human shoulders.

Reita knitted his brows together, feeling the electrical wave take and rattle all his bones while he was pouring his seed inside the merman in scalding-hot gushes.

There, both of them just stood silently on the bed, breathing heavily and only Aoi let out just a couple of trembling sighs “…sorry” mumbled Reita, strangely serious, before he could roll off the merman’s body, resting at his side.

Aoi frowned confused by that word, his eyes closed and his skin covered in goosebumps, but before he could say something, the incandescence in his chest slowly faded along with his conscience, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Names are such sweet sound to hear from certain lips...along with soft, hummed melodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the song, click this link!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ3E2okZZnU

The first thing Aoi managed to do was opening one eyelid.

Slowly, slowly, his eye distinguished the form of a window, dark wood around a dark sky outside.

The ship was rolling sweetly and the merman smiled softly, he felt like he was a child again, between his mother’s arms because he couldn’t sleep well with all the whales singing out of his window.

Aoi closed his eye again, thinking about home, the little song his mom sang to him, a doggerel she said it was popular back at her village.

_Tenjin-san…Onemu_  
_Jinokami-san…Onemu_  
_Onemu no sato no Orochi mo nen ne_  


Slowly he hummed that melody, feeling his throat burn a little and shifting his body he felt a hot presence against his chest, a blond hair under his chin.

Reita was still there, sound asleep and with a hand draped around his waist, just under his gills.

Why was he there with him?

Aoi had to admit it, it wasn’t that bad to have someone so close to him, waking up.

Even if it was a damned pirate that just… j-just…

The merman’s memories came back in an instant and his body froze: he just had sex with him, a _OH-GODS_ type of sex, the captain just fucked his brains out and then he remained there… cuddling?

Aoi opened his eyes again and looked down, managing to only see part of his body “what a mess…” the merman whispered to himself, relaxing against the mattress.

He started to hum again that little song, moving one of his hands -still tied at the wrists, mind you- to slowly sink his fingers between the golden, short locks on Reita’s nape, brushing them lazily.

Aoi wanted to forget everything for just a little longer, just for the time being: pretend to be at home with one of his night-stands, another merman fallen to his fin because _he_ was the _Prince_.

Prince… his social status that gained him many companions, lovers… but never once Aoi thought he could have found his soulmate.

Reita, on the other hand, seemed to care about him, even if it was because he needs to sell him in the near future.

Aoi sighed softly, starting to dip into sleep again “you have a wonderful voice” a voice murmured against his own collarbone and the merman could almost hear his own heart stop on its tracks.

Reita shifted what sufficed to look Aoi in the eyes, his face still tired, his longer bangs sticked to his skin, his dark irises colored with a warm light.

Aoi diverted his gaze, feeling his own cheeks starting to burn “shut up, you…dumbass” he croaked, his throat was really wrecked “and my name on your tongue is even more wonderful” Reita added, now smirking.

The merman rolled his eyes, trying to escape the captain’s arm, but his tied wrists got stuck behind Reita’s neck “say it again” the captain whispered, tightening his grip around Aoi’s waist, dragging him again against his chest.

Aoi looked down at his face, expecting a smirk, a mischievous grin, something like that… but he only saw the serious, a little sweet, expression that washed his features “n-no” mumbled Aoi, puckering out his lips.

Reita chuckled and got nearer and nearer, squeezing the merman in his embrace “say it again…” he repeated firmly and Aoi couldn’t escape his fixed stare.

Embers kindled up in the merman chest, in that moment, something slow and steady, a tight feeling that wasn’t helping his already hurt vocal chords “Re…” he started, swallowing saliva “Reita…” that name rolled on his tongue oddly, like a perfect fit that Aoi wouldn’t accept.

The captain purred, listening to his own name, before kissing Aoi’s lips with attention “as I said, wonderful” Reita hummed with a smile, kissing him again and again, following the bridge of his nose, the line of his brows “R-Rei…ta” Aoi breathed weakly, closing his eyes.

The pirate chuckled at how the name almost quivered in his throat, but didn’t stop that trail of kisses that now ended between the long, sea-scented, inky hair of the merman.

_Re…Reita~_

Reita moved a hand up along Aoi’s back, caressing each little bump of his spine, kissing now his cheekbone, smiling against his fluttering lashes.

_Rei…~_

He pecked at his eyelid, then searched for his ear, muzzling it against the pillow, moving his other hand to cup Aoi’s cheek.

_Re…ita!_

Suddenly the human’s brain connected again and recognized a frustrated, almost painful tone in his voice, his _breathless_ voice “wa…ter… c-can’t… breathe…!” Aoi gasped looking the blond with a pleading glance.

Reita jumped up from the bed, almost falling face-first into the wood when his feet got tangled into the bedsheets “oh shit! S-sorry! Fuck…!” the pirate stumbled to get a bucket from the bathroom, running out of his room with it.

Aoi turned sluggishly, dragging himself out of the bed to reach that door, wheezing from time to time “God-fucking-damn…!” Reita huffed while returning, spilling the sea water on the merman’s body once he got near him “here ya go Princey! Don’t die on me uh?” Reita’s voice was a little strained, like he was forcing himself to talk.

Aoi coughed a little when his gills opened up, sucking in air full-force “ahh… ahh… yeah… I’m… I’m fine now…” he heaved, using his arms to arch his torso to look up at the blond pirate.

He had a strange expression, like he was… worried? “I’ll have to put you in the damn tub, I can’t take buckets of water every time, it’ fucking annoy-” “Aoi” the merman stopped his rant, making him silent.

Reita rose his eyebrow “how come?” “Aoi… it’s my name. Since I know yours, you asshole, you need to know mine… so you’ll stop calling me Princey or shit like that” Aoi puffed his cheeks and Reita couldn’t help himself but laugh at the vision.

He knelt down and took the merman’s face between his palms “I’ll stop calling you Princey whenever I want, _Aoi_ ” he grinned “but, for now, lets take you in a more suitable place, shall we?” the captain then walked to the bathroom while Aoi was completely red faced, his eyes open wide and his lips closed tight.

In that moment, he knew that his own name had a totally different sound, if spoke with Reita’s sweet, husky voice.

~ ~ ~ ~

When Aoi was finally sitting inside the wooden tub, filled to the brim with salt water, the merman sighed relieved “happy?” Reita asked, sat on the border of the tub, while Aoi was rolling a little inside it to wet all his body “mhhh– better than your deck for sure” the merman chuckled playfully, sinking down until his face was submerged by water.

Immediately his eyes were covered by a second pair of eyelids, completely transparent and Reita blinked twice “oh, wow… never saw them” he talked while pointing his face “it’s because I was away from water for so long” bubbled Aoi underwater, his voice strangely, perfectly clear even for the captain.

Reita smirked a little and, grasping both the sides of the tub, lowered himself until only a couple of his blond locks got to caress the water “but now I can’t kiss that sweet mouth of yours, Princey” whispered, barely touching the surface of the water with his lips.

Aoi blushed softly, rolling his eyes, before opening his own mouth: he whiffed a mouthful of water directly in Reita’s face, drenching him with a giggle “don’t challenge me, you damn pirate” Aoi resurfaced while Reita was coughing.

Then, a thought hit Aoi: why the captain was always wearing that band on where it should be his nose?

The merman never saw the pirate take it off and the curiosity was growing stronger “hey” Aoi called him, sitting up in tub “why… you cover your nose? You don’t use it to breathe?” the Prince asked with an unexpected innocent voice.

Reita looked at him, before taking a hand on the piece of fabric “is better if no one sees what’s behind this: is a bad sight, I assure ya” he chuckled without happiness and Aoi twisted his mouth.

What could be so horrible? “let me see” ordered Aoi, raising a hand to show the palm to Reita “come here and let me see” added, jerking a couple of his fingers.

He was serious, but so was Reita when stood up “No, Aoi…” he answered hard, his voice returned sharp like the first day they talked and insulted each other “it’s not your business, anyway” the pirate started to walk away from the little bathroom.

_Reita, you should know~_  


The captain stopped right on his feet, trembling from head to toe: the air was filled with a strange melody, reverberating all around him and the mesmerizing voice of Aoi was filling him up completely, fogging up his mind.

_as your Prince I ask of you~_  
_how odd may be that view~_  
_your mystery to me you have to show~_

The pirate gulped, turning around to see Aoi with both his arms draped along the border of the tub, his gills vibrating underwater making that strange sound in the air and his lips moving, chanting that little poem.

That song that made his hands move up until he grazed the fabric on his face.

His dark irises fluttering while fixing Aoi’s bright ones, almost glowing of their own light.

For a handful of seconds, Reita stood still, his hands on his nape, then he snapped and closed his eyes “stop it, Aoi!” he shouted, almost scared.

Aoi raised an eyebrow, looking at him “you don’t have to charm me to remove my nose band…” he admitted “but…give me time, wouldya? It’s… hard, for me” Reita whispered and the merman, for a moment, felt bad for singing Reita into submission.

The captain then walked away and Aoi exhaled while dipping down until only his eyes were out of the water “yeah… sorry” he bubbled underwater again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reita doesn't like when someone tries to smuggle away his precious Prince.  
> WARNING: a pinch of gore in this chapter, even if isn't written 'in depth' but you never know xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CAN FEEL THE END NEAR, PEOPLE!  
> I predict this will take another 4/5 chapters to be complete? I'm not quite sure, but we surely passed by good measure the middle of the full story!
> 
> Near the end, I'll make you all choose a second time, like for chap 5 (I think it was chap5? xD) and that will modify the EPILOGUE of the story...but this time will be a BLIND CHOICE, so you'll dodge spoilers that may ruin the finale =W= mwahhahahaha

One week, one long week passed between the day he was kidnapped and the day the look-out saw the first signs of land ahead of them.

Aoi rested well, almost loved the wooden tub in Reita’s bathroom, even if he made sure the pirate never knew it.

The mermaid sighed while watching out of the window, listening to the heavy feet of the crew running right and left outside: they were preparing to dock into the port and Aoi thought that, twelve hours from that moment, Reita would come in and take him out.

To the slaughterhouse, to his fate.

Aoi really got his hope up when, the day before, Reita hugged him tightly, trembling.

The merman was still remembering everything with every fine detail.

> “I’m gonna fix the route with Kai at the rudder” Reita said while he was wearing his clothes “we should be near the next port, so…” “yeah, yeah, I know you’re already counting the gold they’ll give you for me… you asshole” Aoi talked back, moving his caudal fin outside the tub, sloshing the water inside it with the smaller fins “I need that money, Aoi. Maybe they’ll give you to someone gentler than me” the blond joked.
> 
> But on the pirate’s face there was a strained expression “mh-mh? Really… don’t bullshit me, Reita” the merman sighed, when the warm, callous fingers of the captain caressed his cheek.
> 
> Reita chuckled softly “I’ll make sure you’ll get sold alive, not killed, okay?” he murmured and Aoi turned his face to bite down on his fingers, without hurting him.
> 
> Not much, at least.
> 
> The merman then lapped the pinkish signs on his skin, watching him with hard eyes “who would ever listen the words of a pirate?” he breathed with slow words, crossing harder his arms against his chest.
> 
> “A Prince would… so I have a lot of chances with a butcher, don’tcha think?”
> 
> That answer made Aoi laugh sincerely, for the first time in a week and Reita lighed up, listening to that sound, a melody singed by silver birds “you… ahah… you dumbass! Go to the fucking rudder!” Aoi pushed him away while he was still laughing and when he was alone, the merman sinked his face against his own palms.
> 
> Reita was so precious to him, even if Aoi pledged to himself to never let him aware of that, and the thought of leaving him was making him shiver.
> 
> Never see his handsome face again, hear his sweet voice, feel his warmth… Aoi was trying to detach himself from him, but it was harder and harder every hour they were passing together.
> 
> Leaving out the steamy sex they made at least once a day, Reita was… gentle, caring towards him.
> 
> More than a friend, more like a-
> 
> _Soulmate?_
> 
> Aoi covered his lips with his hands, while looking at the sea water he was in: Reita was human, but wasn’t that rare to find a human soulmate.
> 
> Even his father found his mother on land, almost a century ago.
> 
> But Reita was… different, a pirate… someone that might have kidnapped other merfolks to get gold back.
> 
> He was skilled with harpoons, that was for sure “hello there fishy” a strange voice called him and Aoi moved his cyan eyes to gaze upon a man he never saw, if not from time to time among the crew.
> 
> He stood still, his eyes making a death stare towards him “time to go…!” he said walking with long steps around the tub, grabbing him around the waist.
> 
> Before Aoi could do anything, he felt the hard floor hit him in the face: he was being thrown out of the water and now a knee was pressed against his back “What are you doing, damn human! REITA! REI-!” his voice went missing when a punch hit the back of his head, making his forehead bump against the wood “shut the fuck up… I hate smuggling live things, damn it” the man mumbled to himself.
> 
> Cold, hard, short chains went from Aoi’s wrists to the end of his tail, tying him up like a sacrificial lamb and then the man started to drag him not from the door Reita passed before, but towards the big window not much far from the bed.
> 
> The still undone bed where he and the pirate had sex just few hours before, rolling in the sheets moaning and fighting each other with kisses “omph…! you’re fucking heavy… damned tuna steak…” grumbled the man.
> 
> Aoi felt himself being lift up on the little balcony of the window and, looking down, he saw a little boat tied behind the galleon…and at the horizon, another ship was following them, smaller and slenderer than the Takanori.
> 
> He had to do something…he had to call out to Reita, he had to warn him…! “heave-ho!” the man breathed and Aoi rolled on his back, falling down into that little wooden shallop.
> 
> The merman felt his lungs deflate for the impact and after few seconds of understanding what happened and how it happened, a loud splash of water followed his fall.
> 
> The stranger climbed on the boat while Aoi was trying to free himself without results “eheh… Takashima will be sooo fucking happy to have you, tuna-steak! Reita can fuck himself in the arse for what I care” the man giggled to himself while taking the oars from the bottom of the yawl.
> 
> Aoi breathed in and out a couple of times, before opening his mouth and starting to yell his alarm call, his high-pitched voice that run through the air.
> 
> ## REITAH!
> 
> He closed his eyes shut, squeezing his fists so much his claws started to draw blood from his palms “shut up, he’s not gonna hear ya, you dumb fish!” the man snorted, almost sneering him, while he was rowing the boat away from the ship.
> 
> ## REITAH!!
> 
> Aoi felt his throat vibrate, hurt because of his dry shouts “for fuck’s sake, stay quiet! You’re gonna smush my brain like this!” the man stopped his rowing and covered Aoi’s mouth with his hand.
> 
> Instinctively, the merman opened it and gnawed at that hand, sinking his sharp teeth in his flesh, feeling the blood slithering down his own throat.
> 
> With a pained scream, the man yanked the hand back before rolling the sane one into a fist, hitting Aoi in the face one, two times.
> 
> The stranger sat on him blocking his gills with his legs while his hands went up around Aoi’s neck “you fucking tuna steak… the Hellion in way faster than that fat-ass Takanori… if I take you dead to Takashima, he’ll not be mad with me, for sure” he chuckled insanely.
> 
> Aoi tried to unseat the man from him, using what he could of his tail to move the boat, but he could feel his own strength start to fade.  
> 
> 
> His head was dizzy for the lack of oxygen and his eyes slowly rolled back, while his still bloodied teeth were gritted.
> 
> That pressure on the gills was maddening, together with the one on his throat, pain shooting under his jaw for the force the man was putting on choking him.
> 
> His features started to relax slowly, while his mind was being wrapped by a black fog, gradually dimming into nothingness.
> 
> His eyes closed, looking at the black and white sand behind his eyelids, those wriggling, pulsating grains that followed the slower and slower beat of his heart.
> 
> _Re…i…_
> 
> The boat rocked suddenly and the stranger got pulled away from him, sent flying on the other side of the shallop by a violent punch.
> 
> **SAKAI!**
> 
> Reita’s angry, cold voice resonated into the air and the man looked at the captain towering him, his legs spread over the slumped body of the merman “you… you fucking traitor!” Reita shouted again with fire in his black eyes, grabbing quickly the hilt of the saber at his side.
> 
> Sakai stood up the quicker he could and grabbed his own dagger, trying to defend himself “fuck you Reita! You’re not like your father, you spineless twat!” he yelled.
> 
> Then the iron of their white weapons clashed once, twice, Reita moving swiftly and violently, slicing away right and left, balancing perfectly on his feet while the yawl was lurching more and more.
> 
> A lunge forward, a dodge back, all while the far away Takanori was starting to spin, Kai spinning the rudder with hard slaps.
> 
> Suddenly, Sakai felt a deep pain at his armed wrist and while he started to yell in agony a clear, soft _slump_ was the sign that his right hand was currently sinking towards the sea bed, along with his dagger.
> 
> Reita, his face sprayed with blood, grabbed Sakai by the collar and with another nimble movement he drove his saber deep into his guts, twisting, tearing.
> 
> The captain looked into the pained, shocked pupils of the other and only there, Reita talked again, growling like a wrathful wolf “you’ll never touch him again” he muttered, before dislodging the blade from flesh and bones.
> 
> A wet splat fell between them and Sakai whimpered, his entire body shaking from the core: his intestines, all of his bowels where now between their ankles, dangling from the gash opened in his abdomen.
> 
> With a clang, the saber fell on the bottom of the yawl and Reita turned, kneeling down to free the merman from the chains that binded his unresponsive hands and tail “Wakey-wakey Princey, Captain handsome saved you” Reita whispered, with a little grin, but that smile dissolved like smoke.  
> 
> 
> Aoi’s face was relaxed, his hooded eyes fixed into a blank stare and his lips barely disclosed.
> 
> _No, no, no…!_
> 
> Behind Reita’s back, Sakai took the left hand to the wound, insanely trying to put everything inside him, but he leaned too much on the left: his weight rocked the shallop so much it capsized, leaving the man sinking deep into the abysses.
> 
> Reita was having Aoi’s still figure in his arms when the little boat tipped over and when he fell into the water, he swam to the surface under the yawl, calling the merman’s name “Aoi… Aoi! C’mon Princey…!” he tried to stay with his head out of the water, shaking gently Aoi’s slumped body.
> 
> He pressed the lips on his ones, blowing air into his lungs, making his gills open and bubble under the surface, but the merman remained unresponsive.
> 
> The pirate’s voice, once fierce and angry, was now worried, cracked “you’re in the water, breathe! God-fucking-damn you!” he shouted, gripping the merman figure with all his might, shivering.
> 
> Reita then sank under the surface, looking at Aoi’s sweet, pale oval that was his face becoming just a blur because of the salt burning his eyes and the pirate took a good mouthful of water in his mouth.
> 
> He heaved the water inside Aoi’s mouth once, twice, swimming back to the surface to regain breath, before dipping down again.
> 
> The sun above them was lighting them with a azure, soft light while Aoi’s long, dark hair danced around like a black, fluffy cloud.
> 
> _Please be alive, please…!_
> 
> Reita started to feel a hard pull inside his chest, while he was inflating the merman’s lungs with water, but his closed-shut eyes didn’t see the little twitch Aoi’s tail made.
> 
> The merman opened his eyes with a flutter, blinking blankly for a few seconds, before shifting his gaze onto Reita’s excruciated expression “Rei…” he only breathed, with a little smile on his lips.
> 
> His free arms wrapped around the pirate’s shoulders and Reita almost drowned when he felt Aoi’s hands inside his own golden hair.
> 
> Time stopped, in that place where gravity didn’t exist, the merman in his natural place with his long tail slowly moving slowly back and forth because of its muscle memory.
> 
> Reita looked at him with a relived, pained grin, air bubbles escaping his teeth, and the human’s mind realized that Aoi was much more beautiful caressed by the abstract lights under the ocean, his skin seemed softer, his features divine-like.
> 
> Aoi was free between his arms, no more ropes or chains to stop him from running away: he could claw his eyes out and swim into the abyss, he could escape his embrace at any moment…
> 
> The merman, instead, approached the pirate with a little flick of his tail and pushed both of them towards the surface, under the still capsized boat “you… heard me” Aoi muttered, touching his cold lips against Reita’s ones, grazing them with the gentleness of a butterfly.
> 
> Reita chuckled, almost chocking on that sound, and hugged Aoi tightly with one hand behind his back and one on his nape, gripping his wet hair shivering from head to toe “you yell like… a fucking seagull… it’s impossible to not hear you” Reita answered softly “you got me worried there, fishy boy”.

“Hey…we’re almost at the port” Reita yanked him out of the flashback and Aoi turned to look at him, his figure fully clothed and that stupid hat on his head.

He was so charming, wearing all that stuff, tho “come here, I’ll take you on the deck” the blond talked, but when he bowed to grab the merman between his arms, Aoi moved both his hands and cupped them around his face, kissing him languidly.

Aoi’s slightly forked tongue lapped at Reita’s lips while his cyan eyes closed softly, feeling his hands on his own face, his mouth indulge in that long, heart-warming kiss.

“lets make you earn your money, Captain” the merman whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [SHIT'S GETTING REAL]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of what "Takashima" looks like: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/83/ab/34/83ab347fcb2bf3376fc216dfeb1fcb77.jpg  
> (Sorry I still don't know how to use links properly TTvTT)

Reita walked calmly on the deck of the Takanori, looking at the approaching port, beyond the ship’s nose.

He was holding Aoi tightly against his chest, to stop his hands from tremble and while the Captain stopped few feet from the rudder, Aoi didn’t look up.

The merman fixed his gaze on Reita’s flounce, around his neck, and for a second he thought to just rest the head on his shoulder.

Feel his warmth one last time “you didn’t tell me about your secret, Captain” Aoi murmured, gripping a couple of clawed fingers into the ruffles of his wine shirt.

Reita chuckled sadly “is better for you… to remember me like this, Aoi” he used his name, he breathed it so gently that the Prince felt a thorn pierce his heart “and besides, you’ll surely meet someone handsomer than me” Reita joked.

Aoi sighed a little laugh, tightening his hold on Reita’s clothes “I don’t think so, Reita…” he answered, before lifting his head from the bent position he was holding.

A strange sound was shattering the air, like a dangerous whistle: it made Aoi’s skin crawl like million insects.

_TO LARBOARD!_

The whistle transformed into a grumble and that sound exploded right in front of them in countless wood shards, destroying the Takanori’s nose, along with its figurehead.

Reita immediately turned his head to the left, where the slender, black form of another galleon was rolling towards them, cannons pointed at them “PREPARE FOR BATTLE!” Reita shouted, before turning to Kai “steer away from the port, we need to get into open waters!”.

The captain’s mind started to calculate wind, speed, trajectory of cannonballs all while Aoi was still holding onto him for dear life “for Neptune’s sake what’s going on?!” he shouted while another whistle started to deafen him.

Reita jogged to the other end of the ship while the shouts of the crew danced around them with _move your asses!_ or _it’s the Hellion!_ “We’re going to combat here Princey” Reita growled “that shit-eating Takashima want me dead… or wants you, that’s worse” Aoi felt him sit down behind the thickest part of the railings “hide here, we can’t flee them… their ship is faster than Taka-chan, I have to sink them down!”.

Reita then kissed him harshly, before running again to the main deck again, taking a torch from one of his men “AIM TO THE SIDE!” Reita shouted before pushing down on one of the cannons with a foot, firing it with the torch.

Explosions all around Aoi made his heart pound, the pungent smell of the gunpowder hurt his nose and he couldn’t stop looking at Reita, his fierce figure shout orders.

Point to another side of the galleon with fire in his eyes.

Running from one place to another, helping his men aim and shoot.

Holding tight the rudder with Kai to make the Takanori turn sharply, so much it almost capsized.

And meanwhile all that chaos was happening, Aoi saw enormous columns of water raise from the ocean where the iron balls missed the ship “REITA!” Aoi called him, when his cyan eyes saw the sharp nose of the other ship crash in its flank, along with other cries and yell the merman never heard before.

Splitting wood flying around, the blare of the bullets and the clangs of the blades: he had to do something, he had to fight!

_I have to protect him!_

Quickly Aoi slithered unnoticed by the quarrelsome pirates, too busy fighting the ones that rammed into the Takanori: he slipped among them, rolling on his side to dodge swords, feet, corpses falling on their own blood.

It was pure madness, limbs twitching on the deck, blood spurting everywhere, water sloshing inside the hold where the Hellion was still hooked to the Takanori.

while Aoi was clawing the steps of the stairs, he saw a tall man walk slowly among those men, a long rapier in his hand “Takashima, how DARE you attack me and my men??” Aoi heard Reita’s voice shout full of anger.

In the anarchy of the moment, Aoi’s heart sank to see Reita’s saber collide with that rapier, again and again with his back pressed against the rudder.

The taller man, the one Reita called Takashima, was silent, slow but precise with his steps, almost like dancing elegantly with Reita, that was attacking him with fiery determination.

Aoi knew what was happening, because he already saw it often in the past, because it was similar to the strategy his father used with his enemies: slow and steady, like the shark swam before baring its teeth.

The merman tightened his jaw, before moving forward like a snake on the wet deck: with a rapid twist of the muscles of his tail, he jumped up and forth like a spring, sinking his claws into Takashima’s shoulders.

Aoi then gnawed at his neck, enveloping his tall body with his tail as much as he could “Oh Fuck- Aoi! stay away from him!” Reita yelled, more worried for the merman than for himself.

The merman growled while he could feel his teeth tremble in the stranger’s skin, drawing blood that was dripping down his chin.

In his head, like a mantra, he was thinking about Reita and Reita only, to save his life in that shitty mess that was the battle “you have trained him well, uh?” a low, slithering chuckle came from that same throat Aoi was trying to pry open.

Suddenly, like he was without weight, Aoi felt Takashima’s free hand grab his neck and detach him from his shoulders, sending him flying against the broken mainmast of the ship.

Aoi could feel his own back snap when he hit the wood and the merman rolled on the deck, stopping only when a foot pressed against his shivering side “take him on the Hellion… I have a dance to conclude here” Takashima talked with a soft, cold voice.

Reita was looking at the merman with a distraught expression, blood completely disappeared from his face “oh you’ll not take him… YOU’LL NOT. TAKE. HIM!” the blond captain growled, jumping saber first against Takashima.

Aoi couldn’t force his eyelids to stay open, while that human grabbed his fin to drag him towards the black galleon.

_Reita…  
I won’t… leave you…_

His thought were scattered, his back hurting like hell and his arms quivering above his head, his hair getting stuck into the broken wood from time to time.

_I need… to… protect… Reita…  
I have to… Kill him… Kill… _

The man that was lugging him on the Hellion’s deck stopped on his tracks, his body convulsing on his feet before he could collapse on the wood, pink foam forming in his mouth “Fucking Hail Neptune, motherfucker!” a wrathful voice reached Aoi’s ears, a familiar one.

Ruki was there in front of him, raised on his tail like a cobra, all of his venomous stings flared open, vibrating “AOI! You dumbass! You look like shit…” that still angry voice got stained by the softness of the worry and Aoi smiled painfully towards his childhood friend.

Other pirates on the Hellion were slumped on the floor, gushes opened by the colored claws of Ruki or their eyes rolled into the back of their heads because of his poison.

The smallest between them, but the fiercest “how…?” Aoi mumbled, while Ruki was grabbing one of his arms to put it around his own shoulders, his barbels closed shut now “shut up, we’re leaving. Uruha is coming with your fucking trident… that sea snail” Ruki snarled, holding tight Aoi’s chest, dragging both of them towards a broken zone of the railing.

They fell into the ocean and when Aoi hit the water, his eyes widened suddenly “w-wait!” he tried to stop Ruki from pull him away, feeling his fingers tighten around his right palm “Ruki! Wait, I can’t-!” Aoi tried to talk, but his friend was totally unresponsive, ignoring him while he was swaying his tail faster.

_I can’t leave Reita behind…!_

With a sharp jerk, Aoi freed his hand from the grasp of his friend “what the fuck are you-!” “I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!” that sharp shout silenced Ruki.

The lionfish gazed at his friend panting, face completely tormented “w-wait for me here! Please!” begged then Aoi, before turning away, swimming fast towards the ships tangled together.

Aoi dodged bodies falling from the decks, barrels, rubble and he swam around the galleons, searching Reita and Takashima with his keen eyes: they were still fighting where the rudder once was, the blond visibly tired.

If he called him, he could distract him… making him take a fatal blow?

Aoi sank as deep as he could, hyperventilating in the meantime and when the cold water pressed hard against his body, he stopped.

Ruki was swimming fast towards him, trying to stop him for making anything dangerous, but Aoi frowned and looked up at the far bright speck that was the surface.

He flared all his fins and started to flap his bigger one, cupping his hands to push against the water faster, _faster_ , **_faster_**.

Like an invisible bullet he surpassed the colorful stain that was Ruki and aimed for the sky: Aoi jumped as high as he could, raising his hands when he saw the border of the Takanori approaching rapidly.

His chest slapped hard against the wood, his claws scratched deep grooves into the side of the galleon “AOI!” Ruki called him from the surface of the ocean, but the Prince was deaf to his yells: the merman pulled up, one hand at a time, slipping down from time to time.

**WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!**

Another scream, above his head this time.

Reita was panting heavily, while brandishing a thick piece of wood where Takashima’s rapier was temporarily stuck.

The captain’s saber was nowhere to be found.

Aoi hoisted himself up, bleeding from his claws and after grasping at the railing, he rose his hand towards the human “REITA!” he yelled “COME WITH ME!” those words rolled out of his mouth with in a hurry.

He was there, he could escape with him, both of them could swim away and- “SHIT! GO AWAY!” Reita shouted, before gritting his teeth and whack Takashima’s head with his elbow.

The taller men stumbled back, a hand to the offended zone, but Aoi was happy to see that also the other human was tired.

The wound the merman left him as a gift was surely helping “I’ll take you away! Come here!!” Aoi stretched his arms towards the captain, his eyes begging him, his waist hardly rested on the railing.

He was dangling from the rolling ship, he could fall into the water any time, but Aoi remained there, arms stretched forward and fingers fanned.

Reita coughed, looking at Aoi, time slowing down for both of them, and the merman could see the decision form into his beautiful, deep, black eyes.

The captain pressed his feet against what remained of the deck and started to run.

His muscles tired from the continue sparring against Takashima, the scrapes all over his body, Reita managed to shut everything down and run towards his Prince, his ray of sun that was shining wet and iridescent like a gem.

He clashed against Aoi’s chest and hugged him tightly, feeling the other do the same “Rei… Rei let’s go” Aoi was now dangling into the air, suspended only by that embrace.

In that moment, before Reita could talk to his precious Prince, a cough bubbled up in his throat and it sprinkled out of his lips in microscopic, dark-red pearls.

Blood trickled down his chin and Aoi felt his own heart stop while a sharp pain grazed his left gills “you know… I never thought I could win against you, Reita” the cold, mellow voice of Takashima enveloped them with a dense sense of dread.

Reita’s arms twitched around the thin chest of the merman, tightening his grip “but look at you… fall for a creature like this? How pathetic…” a chuckle, a low, soothing laugh “I’m lucky, tho… the headmoney for you says _dead or alive_ ” Takashima’s harsh eyes met with the shocked ones of the merman.

His rapier moved slowly inside Reita’s, twisting and turning, and the blond human was growling in agony, still gripping on the merman’s frame “c’mon, let it go… I need his corpse to get paid” Takashima then extracted his weapon from Reita’s body, letting it fall near his feet.

Then Takashima walked calmly around them “No… No no nononono Rei! Rei!” Aoi cried softy, clawing his shoulders, feeling his body weaken “c-come with me! I’ll… I’ll heal yo-” his words got stuck into the bloody kiss Reita gave him: a desperate action, his now lukewarm lips pressing as if he could exhale his own soul inside the merman.

Then, his arms gave in and Aoi fell down, looking at his _soulmate_ collapse on the other side of the railing, while the evil, raw smile on Takashima’s face made him nauseous.

Aoi didn’t remember anything after hitting the hard surface of the ocean, crashing against what remained of the Takanori, his fins getting trapped into the colossal chippings of the ship, his tail getting impaled by the rubble.

He felt his will to live remained on those bloodied lips.


	11. Chapter 11

_REITA! COME WITH ME!_  
_Rei… Rei let’s go!_

_No… No no nononono Rei! Rei!_

Captain Reita never thought he could finally feel Lady Death caress his heart.

Not when he was holding the most precious gem of the oceans.

The rapier twisted in his flesh, but the only things Reita minding were the cool, soft skin of Aoi, his sweet weight between his arms, his eyes releasing inestimable pearly tears while watching him.

The iron taste on his tongue made Reita cough again, lamenting his pain while Takashima was talking both to him and to Aoi with his honey-smothered smile “Come with me…!” the merman was weeping desperately.

Reita felt the cold blade of the rapier leave his body, his abdomen, and there his body started to shake: he was covered in sweat, he felt his arms starting to loose the grip on the merman’s body.

_It was… so hard…to hold on…_

It was so hard to look at his distraught face, so hard to perceive his frantic claws dig into his shoulders trying to not leave him.

Reita could only gaze at his despairing irises and feel the burn of his deep wound compete with the soft, tender warmth in his upper chest: oh he fell for that creature, he fell hard face-first like a fool, but Reita knew it was the best choice of his life, to let that merman enter his heart with the force of a maelstrom.

The captain heard Aoi saying something to him, with his loving lips moving to form words, trembling in the meantime, but his melodic voice was muffled, distant, a confused gibberish to his ears.

Why Aoi was there? Why he returned to him? He was just a goner now, good only to put a sad expression on his face…

Said expression didn’t matched his natural beauty, of course, he was far more beautiful with a smile on his features, god-like when he looked at him with lusty eyes.

It was a sacrilege that those tears were staining his skin with sadness, caress the angles of his mouth, that always sincere lips.

It was blasphemy for those eyebrows to be so inconsolable, his eyes wide open like a terrified child, his sharp teeth showing while almost screaming at him.

_Stop crying…_  
_Stop it…!_  
_STOP IT!_

Another wave of burning blood started to bubble up into Reita’s esophagus and there the blond pirate acted sincerely, his weak heart pounding inside him: he pressed against those lips, closing his own eyes to lose himself in his treasure.

_Don’t cry anymore, please…_  
_I love you._  
_I love you._  
_I love you._

It was pure torment just staying on his feet, but Reita didn’t want to leave Aoi, didn’t want to send him down into the spiraling hell that was becoming the sinking ship… but what he didn’t want the most was let Aoi watch him die.

Aoi slipped from his weak arms and Reita saw him plunge down, disappear into the whirling waters, chest and face sprinkled with his own blood.

At the same time, the Captain fell on his knees before hitting what remained of the deck, HIS deck, and there he clutched to his wounded abdomen “ahhh finally…! I swear I thought you would never let go, Reita” Takashima chuckled, while making a gesture to one of his remaining men “take our guest to the holding cells, let’s leave this rattletrap before it sinks with us all” Takashima’s voice lost all his sugary tone and those harsh, commanding words were sharp as a dagger.

Reita got picked up by some random pirate, dragged on the Hellion that was already moving away from Takanori’s wooden carcass, with his load of men to sell

Every piece of wood he hit on the way made him groan in pain, Reita’s hands trying to grab something, anything, to not being hauled away.

His eyes couldn’t see Aoi anymore, searching the bubbling surface of the disturbed sea “here, Captain! Enjoy your stay!” the man dropped him inside the hold where others of his crew run to him, trying to help him up “BACK OFF! Fucking back off!” Reita heard someone shout.

Kai run to him, falling on his knees while putting an arm behind his back to support him as much as he could manage “Rei…fuck…” his Right Hand voice shattered when the hot, viscous blood of the captain blackened Kai’s hands.

Reita knew it was impossible for him to survive this time, he already grazed death million times before, now… this was his moment to leave “hey… hey! Don’t sleep Rei! You can do it c’mon!” Kai moved quickly, ripping his own shirt to make a long, makeshift bandage “you’re not leaving me here alone, you fucker” Kai muttered.

Reita chuckled painfully, gritting his teeth when he felt Kai press hard on his wound, yanking an anguished yell “you… have a Prince to return to, remember?” added Kai.

The captain opened one eye and groaned confused “as if I didn’t noticed in the last week… you’re a Suzuki, you can’t die here” another painful press, this time on his back, and one of Reita’s hands rose to grasp Kai’s shoulder “I’m… fucked, Kai… This… this time” he breathed, coughing and spitting blood.

As a friend, Kai always tried to make Reita use his brain when he was out of character, awakening his usual combative state of mind… but this time, Kai stood there in silence, holding his dear captain like he could imbue his own life to him.

But he only managed to make the blood stop its flow out of his body, for the time being.

Meanwhile, Takashima was walking on the deck of the Hellion, caressing the railing with his fingers and the wreck of the Takanori with his cold iron-colored eyes “Captain! We’re heading to the nearest port, what you want to do with that mermaid?” one of his mate called.

Takashima snickered softly, pressing both of his elbows on the banister: selling a Suzuki AND a creature as sought as a mermaid could bring him a lot money, but it was also a little too dangerous.

He knew what an ocean’s varmint could do, with the right inputs “for now let’s head to the nearest port” he talked, walking just above the hold with its valuable content to the main rudder, caressing it like a dear pet.

_Maybe our little imprinted duckling will follow us on his own…_

~ ~ ~ ~

Hours passed and Reita felt more and more weak, but he was holding on.

He didn’t know why, but his body was just refusing to die, even if the torture he was enduring was enough for him to _hope_ he could die soon.

Kai never left his side, making him rest on his legs and against his chest, and Reita was really grateful to him for being there despite everything.

Despite the fight they had when he discovered his Right Hand wounded his precious sea jewel, despite the troubles Reita made him go through.

Kai always stood there with him, until the end “hey…” Reita mumbled and his friend looked down at him, with a tired smile “yeah?” Kai answered.

Reita chuckled softly, curling up a little “remember… when I made you… steal that petticoat and… made you confess to that beautiful gal?” he talked with feeble voice and Kai couldn’t stop his little laugh “I remember… she’s still waiting for me every time I sail” “I know…” Reita clutched to his friend’s arm “I really hope he’ll not… wait for me” the blond man exhaled.

He looked blankly in front of himself, his body twitching uncontrollably and his skin slowly turning bluer and bluer, along with his lips covered in cold sweats “I’m… just a jackass… I would’ve… I…” Reita’s eyes closed shut, heavy tears rolling down while the fierce captain crumbled into a scared, wounded boy.

Kai hold him closer, sighing softly, but said nothing “…would’ve say…to him… I’ll miss… him so f-fucking much… would’ve say… to him…” a laugh that tasted like bile and vitriol, Reita’s heart beating slowly now “you’re really dying? You talk too much for someone dying y’know?” Kai chuckled softly and Reita did the same, just a tad softer.

Weaker and weaker “when… they’ll come… for me, Kai… just run…” Reita muttered, but his friend directly blocked his lips to say anything else by pressing a palm against them “shut up, fucker… I’ll be there with you until the end… afterall, without my Captain, I can’t navigate shit” Kai’s serious tone made Reita feel a little better.

Such a loyal lad, he liked to remember him like that.

Silence fell among the prisoners, a death wish swirling around them like a dense smoke.

Clinging of chains, soft coughs, shifting of bodies and clothes, everything enveloped by the darkness of the badly lit hold.

Reita quivered more, almost convulsing while gripping at his poorly bandaged wound “C-cross my heart…” he murmured to Kai “if I… s-survive this…” a couple of coughs interrupted him “I’m gonna… confess to him…” Kai snorted tiredly “I’ll bring you the petticoat, then” he joked, making both laugh.

Another heavy silence, interrupted just by the waves around the Hellion and there Reita closed his eyes slowly, looking at the back of his eyelids where his last memories started to form into that fuzzy static.

_“You know, Kai?”_  


The elegant, long figure of Aoi, his fins all flared up in his regal stance, his dark hair floating softly around his face, his lips barely parted, smiling at him.

_“I was going to sell him anyway…”_  


His fierce eyes the first time he saw him, his joyful eyes every time he rolled in the soft sheets of his bed.

_“Then I would’ve run inside the slaughterhouse to buy him back, just right after leaving…_ _Just to scare him a little, to see his cheeks puff up again”_  


His enamored eyes when they made love.

_“I love him so much, Kai, it hurts… it hurts like hell on earth“_  


Reita sank deeper into that state of conscienceless and there his memories began to struggle, fade one by one.

## hhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwooOOOOOOOMMMMMmmmm

The darkness that started creeping on him shattered abruptly, when a white-blue light shone in the hold, along with a buzzing, deafening sound.

Then, the water flooded in.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little cameo + Aoi gets his anger up a notch...  
> Maybe more than one!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagine the new character like a female [Betta Fish](https://en.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish/betta-fish-3.jpg)

He felt… _pressure_.

His mind wasn’t there at all, but his body was feeling compressed between hard places.

Deep sounds of wood rubbing against wood underwater, the little tickle of million bubbles caressing his body.

Darker, darker, the light of the surface slipping away from him and letting his body rest among the wreckage of the sunken Takanori.

Its name still written on a colossal board laying near him like a torn limb.

Aoi felt _nothing_.

He didn’t feel the ache in every part of his body due to the fall, the rolling against the whirling wood.

He didn’t feel the agonizing pressure of the massive splinters in his tail, nor the throbbing of his left gills, still slowly bleeding.

_He’s here! I see the tail…!_ _  
_

He didn’t feel, because his heart was shattered, both physically and emotionally: his Captain was gone.

Dead, snatched away.

_MOVE THOSE BEAMS!_  


The merman didn’t even want to wake up from that slumber, he only wanted to die there, follow that asshole with his golden hair and bright smile to the Other Side.

 _“You should stay away, it’s dangerous…”_  
_“Shut the fuck up Yuu! He’s MY fucking child too!”_  
_“Y-yes dear…I know, but…!”_

More and more, Aoi’s ears started to catch familiar voices, along with the grumble of shifted debris “Take that marlinbulance here!” someone shouted and finally the last of that heavy wooden junk got lifted up.

The Prince shivered weakly, feeling the freezing water on his battered, hot body “easy! easy! be careful!” someone else called, then a pair of gentle arm wrapped around him, hoisting Aoi up delicately.

“My darling starlet…”

That little nickname of his, Aoi shuddered in those arms while his mind started to resurface from the depth it was hiding, dying: while other shouts called out in the background, Aoi’s cyan, bright eyes fluttered open, just so slightly, to see the form a mermaid above him.

Her short, wavy hair were glading around her head like a pinkish-purple mane and her chocolate eyes were looking at him with a relieved expression, even if the thorns of concern were still there “Aoi… mom’s here, everything will be alright” she whispered with a soft smile on her lips, holding him to her chest like he was a child.

Her hands went around his waist and behind his head, rocking him slowly as a way to comfort him.

Only then, Aoi started to cry: a muffled sob from time to time, mainly due to the shock state he was in, and his arms clenched on his mother’s figure, trembling.

It was so good to be with her, it was so good to feel embraced when his heart was threatening a failure.

With his mind powering up again, Aoi started to feel all and every of his injuries “the wreckage is moving, my Queen, you need to take him out!” someone pleaded, and the sweet-looking mermaid snapped her head to the right, baring her teeth like a wolf “then take here THAT FUCKING MARLIN!” she shouted completely enraged.

Aoi closed his eyes again, puffing a small chuckle into his mom’s neck: if his father was feared for his cold, silent and deadly rage, her mother could go berserk and letting all around her know how she snapped your neck.

And everyone always told Aoi that he took from her mother, with his fits of anger “the marlin’s here honey…” his father voice came into the picture, the King looking worried as the Queen for the health of their son, but he was acting calmer than the mermaid “we’re gonna heal you, skimpy, come here”.

Ruki and Uruha were there near the marlinbulance, the taller still grasping Aoi’s trident “you… dumbass! You almost died there!” Ruki yelled while swimming towards the royal couple, the Queen still holding Aoi “How are you feeling?” Uruha added, worried.

Both his friends surrounded the imperial family and Ruki twisted his lips “looking like shit for a human…” he mumbled “you really had to do it, uh?” and while the Queen rose her eyebrows confused, Aoi started to move.

Human…?

His human, his Captain…!

The Queen turned her head to Ruki, looking at him like she was looking to an older son “what’re you talking about, Shrimp?” “R-Rei…” the Prince mumbled, starting to fight weakly his mother’s hold “Th-they… took…” Aoi struggled more and more, his tail bleeding for the splinters and a couple of his little fins just dangling into the water, unresponsive.

The King felt a tug into his chest and immediately moved his hands to stop his son to shuffle from his wife’s hold “Aoi, stop it! You’re badly wounded, you can’t go anywhere now!” he said with serious voice “Yuu I can carry him well…now SOMEONE can explain me??” the mermaid thundered and all the mermen there stopped, Aoi included.

The first to talk was Yuu, the King knew his ways to calm down his bride, even if he was scared as everyone else “Ruki told me… that our child got kidnapped by some pirates while you were away-” “…Kidnapped” an harsh response, like a mere stating the fact, but both Aoi and the King sunk their heads between their shoulders.

Strike one “yes, my dear, so Ruki and Uruha went in search of him while I deployed the guards and we all pursued the galleon to sink it and take Aoi home” the King started to speak softly, while the Queen was looking at him with snappy movements of her tail.

Aoi clawed at her, not only in fear of a future scolding, but because Uruha was removing all the splinters from his tail and body, whispering “sorry” from time to time.

Yuu smiled apologetically “but we got stuck into a maelstrom so we had to wait it to pass, since the ship was already cutting the waves and our sharks couldn’t keep up…-” “you… the KING of the OCEAN REALM got stuck… into a maelstrom”.

Strike two, Yuu was sweating “I can’t control the weather, darling” he tried to talk, but the mermaid rose a hand, shutting him up “I can’t leave my boys a couple of days that SHIT go DOWN THE DRAIN and my fucking child gets stolen by PIRATES…!” she started to raise her voice, while gripping tightly on Aoi’s body.

She was acting wrathful, but Aoi knew it was only out of concern and love for her family “m-mom…y-ou’re s-squeezing…me…” Aoi mumbled, prying her hold open “you’re GROUNDED until I’m crippling old!” she shouted then at him, pointing him with a purple claw.

Her angry face then melted, when she looked at her son’s face, at that eyes that were looking down like a sad dolphin: she knew that expression, she recognized it very well “I… need to go” Aoi muttered looking at her with desperate irises.

Uruha, Ruki, his parents, all of them went quiet when the Prince spoke “I’ll explain all later, I promise mom… but you remember how you met dad?” Aoi talked softly, moving his trembling hands to grasp her mother’s “this… is my turn now…” that sentence worked magic on the Queen’s mood.

She smiled softly, regretful for what she was going to to say “I know the feeling, my darling starlet… please, stay safe… I don’t feel like opening throats today” she hugged him, tightly, before turning to a couple of guards, raising her hand “give your weapons to the kids! Ruki, Uruha… go with my child and give him a hand” she started to order around, while the King was chuckling.

Sure Yuu was happy that his honey-nugget came back home, but it will be war that night, when she would return on the ‘ _got stuck in a maelstrom_ ’ topic.

Aoi almost cried again when his mother squeezed him one last time “you surely took from me… this is like when I HAD to save your father’s ass-fin, back then…” the Queen chuckled.

Uruha swam next to Aoi and gave him his trident “I think you’ll need it” the honey-haired merman grinned and the Prince tightened the hold on his weapon.

His dear weapon.

He missed it so much!

A shock of white-blue electricity run through his muscles, enveloping him into a soft glow of the same color.

The aquamarine that formed the sharper tooth of the trident shone brightly for a few seconds and Aoi felt the power surge go straight into his mind, making him feel anger.

A deep, raw type of anger that he never felt before, something that was screaming vengeance inside his whole body: he was going to make Takashima PLEAD, make him BEG to be killed.

Ruki chuckled with an evil smile on his face, brandishing the guard’s sword with ease “This is the Aoi I know…” he muttered.

_Reita, I’m coming for you._

The three of them swam away after one of the guards told them which direction the Hellion went and Yuu sighed softly “our child has grown” he muttered with a little smug on his face.

He embraced his Queen sweetly, trying to ignore her cold, unimpressed expression “I’m not finished with you” she growled, pouting, but her mood was on its way to recover when the King lowered and kissed her lips softly “yes, my Queen”.

The Prince, meanwhile, swam quick with narrowed eyes, panting from time to time because of the pain throbbing deep inside his body, but he never stopped.

Even if the distance between him and his friends grew bigger, he didn’t stop.

The Hellion just entered his line of sight and Aoi didn’t want to move his eyes from it, fearing it could disappear.

_He’s alive, he’s alive, he’s alive…?_

That mantra rolled into his mind, with his hands curled up in hard fists, and he only hoped to be on time, to be able to save him like himself got saved by Reita just few days prior.

Aoi needed to see his face once more, hug him and tell him what he felt in that week, what he was feeling for him right now.

Abruptly, Aoi stopped and gripped his weapon, watching the Hellion slow down a little above their heads “A-Aoi! S-s-slow d-down!” Uruha screamed behind him, while Ruki was literally dragging him behind himself “I…I’m not made for… for speed, you know!!” Uruha then chuffed when the three of them finally reunited under the keel of the Hellion “yeah, with all those fancy, useless fins you have” Ruki chuckled, but Aoi was not showing sign of a smile on his face.

The Prince’s mind was already building up a plan and he didn’t want to go easy.

His heart was pounding with pure wrath, he was going to wreck that ship, crack it open like a clam and recover his pearl “stay out of the aim…” Aoi muttered to his friends “be prepared to help the humans there… but the Captain is _mine_ ” he hissed.

Then Aoi turned to look at the Hellion turn slightly to the left and a quick memory poppet into his brain: the prideful, commanding shout of Reita.

_AIM TO THE SIDE!_

The merman gripped his trident with both his hands and another electrical charge enveloped him, making his scales sparkle and his eyes glow of their own light.

Aoi was lighting up like a lightning bolt, while the trident started to warm up, its tip shining more and more “to the side…” he mumbled, his face hard as a stone.

He charged and charged and charged, feeling his power never stop growing.

More and more the trident lighed up, engulfing the Prince in that bubble of pure, soft white “holy shit…!” Ruki breathed, his sensible ears starting to twitch.

A deafening, buzzing sound made the water around them vibrate, a sense of anticipation tingling on their skin, in their tails.

Aoi bared his teeth and with a soundless explosion, a colossal ray of blue-white light shoot from the trident, from his own body, and went directly through the Hellion, piercing it from side to side, cutting it almost in half.

Aoi didn’t care if innocent men could die in his attack, he only wanted Reita back, he only wanted revenge.

His eyes were now completely azure, irises merged up with pupils and sclera, while he was swimming towards the surface and towards the now sinking Hellion.  


_Please, be alive…_


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter include a really angry merman and a batshit insane pirate!  
> Enjoy~

Kouyou slammed open his quarter’s door when utter chaos washed over his dear Hellion.

When he walked out, he saw the ship broken in half and already sinking “what in the seas is happening??” he shouted angrily, his eyes darting from his men trying to lower the sloops into the ocean to escape the imminent disaster.

Takashima growled at them to not leave the ship, but afterall they weren’t loyal to him, but to his money and since the Hellion was a _dead duck_ by now… well, he couldn’t pay them no more.

Then, Kouyou saw them: three sea creatures coming out of the waves like the horsemen of doom and there, his lips grinned widely.

He could still snatch his prizes afterall, make a newer and better Hellion.

Quick on his feet, Takashima jumped on the already sinking side of the ship, running nimbly towards the door of the hold, swinging it open.

Water was pooling in and its prisoners were trying to survive the gushes of water that were pouring inside.

The Captain jumped into the water, finding with his cold iron-like gaze both Reita and his Right Hand, clutching at one of the chains attached to the wooden wall.

Perfect! It would all go along the plans, even if it will cost his dear galleon.

Without giving him a chance, Kouyou took Kai off-guard, taking his forehead and slamming his nape into the wall with all his might: he was lucky the man got his hands full, helping Reita float since he was in a semi-catatonic state.

_Still alive tho, impressive…!_

Takashima took then Reita by the collar, dragging him to the front half of the ship, what was slowly sinking down, tilting slowly its nose to the sky “HEY!” Kouyou yelled at the three creatures.

He saw the look the black-haired one gave to him and Kouyou felt a deep shiver down his spine, not of fear, but of thrill.

He hoisted up Reita’s limp figure to everyone of them to see “I have something yours, perhaps?” he shouted then, seeing those azure, glowy eyes lock on Reita as soon as he lifted him “Come and get him, if you can!” added.

Then, he felt something buzz right past his left ear, making his brunette hair stand up on his nape: a single ray of light just scraped him, hitting the railings behind him.

A warning shot?

_Ohohohoh! Pretty Blue boy has spice in his blood!_

Takashima felt a rush of adrenaline invade his body, while walking towards the figurehead of the Hellion, hauling Reita on his shoulder.

So much time has passed from the last time he felt the quiver of the hunt shake him so much: that merman was so angry at him, of course, but wrath makes men clumsy and hasty and as long as Kouyou could use his legs, he had the vantage of walking and jumping.

A mermaid out of water was as deadly as a limbless body.

Takashima run to the nose of the Hellion and there, he roped Reita to the railing, tightening the knots so he couldn’t escape…the best bait he could hope to find.

Looking back, then, Takashima saw the blue merman swim towards the sinking ship, dipping down then jumping out of the water to land on the inclined deck “unhand him” he growled, arched shoulders like an aggressive dog.

His face was stone cold and his right hand was trembling slightly while gripping the trident, all of his figure completely crossed by sparks of blue light.

Takashima laughed, an insane laugh that made Aoi’s stomach twist and turn “ _unhand him_ …” he mocked him “how careful of you, to ask this after cutting my ship to pieces!” Kouyou said with a cheerful tone, grabbing the hilt of his rapier to swing it a couple of times, caressing the blade “what’s so special about this miserable wretch?”.

Takashima patted Reita’s bowed face with the flat of his sword, feeling Aoi growl more at that action.

Reita, on his part, was feeling everything like he was wrapped into a thick blanket: barely and far away from his weak mind.

He forced himself to open just a slit of his eyelids and he couldn’t stop himself to grin sluggishly: again Aoi was there, but he looked different, felt different, while he was holding onto a strange-looking weapon.

He was not his shy, a little tsundere, merman that loved rolling in any kind of fabric, he was now God-like, his entire body hoisted on his tail like an enraged snake, his face wrinkled like a snarling wolf.

He was… so incredibly _beautiful_ , royal…

Another beam lightened from the trident’s jewel, missing Kouyou but landing just a little to his right, burning a hole through the ship once more “you’re in no position to mock me, human” Aoi hissed, pointing the trident at him “Give. Him. Back” his tone went even colder, his sharp teeth bared in the anger.

Takashima chuckled, moving his rapier to graze Aoi’s weapon with the blade, circling it slowly, playfully “Fight me…” Kouyou abruptly slammed the blade of his sword against the trident, pushing it aside before jumping forward, lunging at Aoi’s bare chest.

With a swift movement the pirate took a little dagger from his hips and aimed it to the merman, finding him dodge skillfully his first attack, folding his body back and parrying the blade with the handle of his own weapon.

Takashima laughed, sweetly evil “you’re skilled…I like that” he whispered with his face only few inches from Aoi’s.

Takashima was still pressing his rapier against the trident, smiling “but I know you’re limited out of your element” he added in a low, angrier tone, before he could swing back and hit Aoi with his boot, making the merman fall on the other side of the splitting deck.

Aoi rolled on his sides for few seconds, feeling his tail hurt for all the wounds still open in it, but immediately the merman stood up in time to dodge again Kouyou’s attacks, using the teeth of his trident to trap the long, elastic blade of his rapier.

The human pressed again, trying to sink his dagger into the merman everywhere he could find and opening, but Aoi eluded his lounges, slithering away and away from Takashima, from Reita, from the water.

Avoiding and parrying left and right, Aoi started to feel heavy, his gills opening wide, and he saw Takashima’s attack weaken in power, but increase in their speed.

The pirate was pushing him towards the rear end of the Hellion and Aoi had no choice but to use his beam again, aiming to Takashima’s side: his enemy avoided the mortal shot nimbly, be he didn’t see Aoi slip on the deck, using his tail to sweep under Takashima’s feet.

This gave Aoi the chance to slither towards the water: he needed to reach Reita and untie him before the Hellion’s nuzzle could sink totally, taking his adored Captain with its wreck “where are you going, pretty boy??” Kouyou laughed and a sharp pain shocked the merman’s spine, from fin to head.

Takashima jumped him with his rapier in hand and sank its blade in the thick flesh of his tail, pinning quite literally the merman on the inclining deck “you’re good at fighting, are you?” Kouyou chuckled, out of breath.

A low crack came from deep inside his body when Takashima twisted and turned his blade and made Aoi yell in the crippling pain he felt, pulsating together with his heart.  


Out of pure instinct, Aoi turned and another beam of light came from the trident: the light grazed Takashima’s face, making him scream in agony while holding the left side of his face “you… n-not so much!” Aoi shouted, before yanking away the rapier from his tail, feeling his guts tremble.

He couldn’t move…? It was like something weighted was still tied to his tail, but he was free…there was nothing blocking him!

Aoi moved with the sole force of his arms now, dragging his tail behind him while that half of the Hellion started to tilt towards the ocean, sinking more and more vertically.

The merman saw the other half do the same and the slope of that part of deck was too steep for him to claw his way up.

Aoi started to feel panic, clawed to the wood while the gravity was starting to pushing him off the ship, his strength drained by the multitude of little or big rays of light he shot at the Hellion, at Takashima.

_Ohhh preeeetty booooy~!_

Kouyou was looking at him with madness in his grey eyes, a big grin on his face and he ran to him, slipping on the deck to hit him with both the soles of his boots, sending him flying against the now almost horizontal mainmast.

Aoi clutched to it with his entire body, his tail twitching useless like a ragdoll “I lost my ship and my men abandoned me” Takashima started to talk, balancing on the mainmast with his feet, walking slowly towards the merman “but with Suzuki’s corpse and your carcass, it’s sure as hell that I’ll be able to buy a new galleon…no, three of them!” a harsh laugh.

Kouyou was rotating his dagger between his fingers, don’t minding the blood that was trickling down the left side of his face.

His skin was burned raw by the trident’s beam, muscle twitching and big sores were starting to form.

Aoi hoisted himself on the mainmast, crawling backwards at every step Takashima made, the trident between in teeth to not lose it in the whirling waters under them “and after that, I’ll go find other men to kill and to sell… because this is the life I chose” Kouyou laughed again, launching a kick to Aoi’s head just to miss him by a mere inch “maybe I’ll search for your home, ravage it and sell your folks eh? Become filthy rich and have my own flotilla”.

Takashima was talking like a madman, Aoi was trying to ignore his words, but the thought of his home getting devastated by pirates made his heart churn.

The Prince had to to be quick, he needed to let the deep anger sleep in his aching body and focus on what he had to do.

With his tail almost unusable, he couldn’t make long jumps as before, but the mainmast’s tip was just few feet from the railing of the other half of the Hellion “throw the towel, pretty boy, surrender and I’ll be gentle enough to kill you before skinning off those cute scales of yours” Takashima now shouted to overcome the roaring waves under them.

Aoi looked up to him, from his prone position, and growled -baring his sharp teeth was the only thing he could do right now-, then he moved his eyes to the side of the mainmast, seeing the Hellion’s balustrade nearer and nearer.

Aoi gritted his teeth around the pole of his trident and hopped down, clawing the inlaid railing and moaning painfully for the hit his tail took against the wood.

Kouyou made a little whistle, impressed “still trying, are you? Even with a broken spine, you have my respect!” the pirate mocked him again, while Aoi was climbing up the railings like a ladder, reaching his beloved Captain.

He fumbled with the knots, trying to free Reita’s weak body “I’m here Rei… wake up!” Aoi mumbled hastly, feeling a thin layer of sweat cover himself: the throbbing in his tail was maddening, but he concentrated on help Reita.

A low thud made the merman stop just in time to parry Takashima’s dagger with his trident, feeling the arms starting to go numb for all the dragging and jumping “Die, pretty boy, so you can be together with that forlorn you so much adore…” Kouyou speaked quietly, pressing his whole body on the merman.

_What in the seven seas are you doing?_  


Aoi felt the tip of the dagger starting to sink into his solar plexus, blood starting to flow out of his pale skin and up into his mouth “you see? it’s futile… perish and let me sell your putrid carrions” Takashima talked directly into Aoi’s ear, while the merman was trembling, gurgling his pain in the deepest part of his throat.

_“Uh, so the women of your place are all lucky to have men as wonderful as you?”_  


_“shhh, I’m not gonna hurt you”_  


_“you have a wonderful voice”_  


Aoi closed his eyes and softly he started to chuckle to himself, his grip on the trident quivering “ _Human…_ ” he called, chanted softly with a grin on his lips, his gills vibrating.  


_Vile, fool threat~_  
_As the Prince, I let you know~_  
_your blood will soon flow~_  
_because, you see…_

_“you naughty thing…”_  


With a wave of strength that Aoi never thought he had, he pressed his weapon against Takashima’s chest, lifting him up and away from his own body “ _We’re not done yet~_ ” he smirked, then he pushed Kouyou away.

Promptly, Aoi sat up moving coiling his tail around himself, feeling million of sharp shards shatter his spine in that simple movement, and with the same speed he shifted, sinking the teeth of his trident right through Takashima’s abdomen.

Everything went silent for a moment and Kouyou looked down where the trident disappeared in his body, then he rose his gaze to see the merman quivering in front of him: his pained figure, his bloodied lips, the hole he himself made with his now forgotten dagger just below his chest.

Aoi looked right into his pale face, the merman’s grin still shining against the blood that started to ooze out of the pirate’s gaping mouth “who’s the wretch…now?” Aoi snickered, before losing his smiling expression.

He started to light up again, clasping his trident so much he felt his hand’s bones crack, then Aoi’s fiery eyes locked with Takashima’s surprised ones “bow to the Prince, you filthy marauder” Aoi hissed.

A big beam passed right through Takashima’s body, burning and cutting flesh, guts and bones, separating his top from the bottom half of his body with a wet, splatting sound.

Aoi could see the cross-section of his anatomy, his intestines coiled inside him, what remained of the liver, his spinal vertebrae.

The Prince looked at the mangled body fall down into the ocean without a word, before letting his body give in to the shivers.

He needed to free Reita, but his hands were so unsteady he cursed to himself, while working on the knots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok we're almost at the end of this story and now you'll have to decide HOW all of this mess will end!  
> Which one will you choose? =w=  
>  **Ending A - Ending R - Ending X**  
>  Do your bidding lads and gals!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We did it! We reached the end çwç Prepare your tissue boxes for this one and for the epilogue!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the best effect, I suggest you to put these in background, since I wrote the chapter with "String Theory" and "Come Back to Me" as OST: [Les Friction](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jBdQk244ec&index=9&list=PL724552B94FBAE50D)

The ship was rumbling under him, Aoi was feeling it tilting more and more, but he couldn’t give up yet.  


His tired claws scratched at the ropes that tied Reita to the railings, trying to cut them with one hand, while the other was clutched tightly to his Captain.

Aoi could hear Ruki and Uruha’s yells and calls to him, but he ignored them, gritting his teeth while working on the ropes “Rei… Rei I need you to wake up! Please…!” the merman talked hastly and when finally he felt the ropes starting to break, Aoi sent his own trident flying in the ocean.

He was sure one of his friends would catch it, Aoi needed both his arms to hold on to Reita, now dangling in the air saved only by Aoi’s hands around his arm “REI! WAKE UP!” the merman shouted.

Then it happened.

The Hellion’s front part inclined on one side and both human and merman fell down into the cold water of the ocean, Aoi coiling around Reita as much as he could to protect him from the hard fall.

There was a constant grumble around them, Aoi thought his ears could start to bleed at any given moment, but he held tightly to Reita’s chest and tried to move his tail.

It remained still, floating into the water and every time Aoi tried to sway it, a wave of deep, unspeakable pain washed inside him.

He needed to take Reita to the surface, he needed to breathe!

Aoi cupped his free hand and tried to swim up using that, without results “Awww c’mon…! Come-fucking-on!” he cried, yelling in agony when he made his tail push both of them up.

Just one swing of his fin and he felt dizzy: it was the first time for him that he felt like drowning, in his own habitat “n-no… no no no…!” again his pleads escaped his mouth like a string of prayers.

Aoi used his little fins to help him, but nothing worked, Reita was too heavy, he was dragging the merman down with him “H-he needs to breathe…p-please, please!” the merman almost begged his own body to move, to save him, but he stopped trying when a big, warm hand cupped his face.

Reita had his beautiful, black eyes half-open and he was looking at Aoi with a sweet, tired expression “Rei…! Please move your legs, we need to-” Aoi’s voice died in his throat when Reita shook feebly his head.

No, he was saying to him.

Aoi gasped, trembling “n-no?? Y-you… need to breathe you dumbass…! or… or you will…” he couldn’t manage to talk while watching those eyes, while reading what was inside them.

_It’s too late, Princey…_

Aoi stopped, wrapping his arms around Reita’s body, pale tears floating away from his eyes “I… I…” he stuttered, while Reita was giving him a slow, but bright smile “I can’t… Rei… please, let me save you…!” the merman sobbed, clutching on him.

Reita let a couple of big bubbles escape his mouth, like an underwater chuckle, before stroking Aoi’s cheekbone with his thumb.

He was so beautiful even with that infinite sadness in his eyes, it was so good to be with him again, for one last time.

_I’m so sorry Princey, I’m so tired… but I’m happy to be with you again… don’t cry, please…_

Aoi continued to weep on him, lowering his head to caress his forehead with his own, both of them surrounded by a cloud of blood “I can’t live without you… please, _please_ …!” the merman whispered between his clenched teeth.

It was so painful, his heart was ripping apart but at the same time he felt joy, because his dear Captain was there with him, caressing his face, his hair.

Reita opened his mouth and slowly talked, his voice almost indistinguishable because of the bubbles escaping his lungs.

“I love you…” he breathed, before he approached his Prince, pressing their lips together in a slow, tender kiss.  


Aoi cried more, holding his head between his hands, brushing fingers in his golden hair, and he responded to that kiss as carefully as possible, feeling his body tremble against him.

He was drowning, Aoi could feel it in his soul, but every time he tried to back away from the kiss, to move and try anything to save his Captain, Reita clutched on him more and more, blocking him against his chest.

_No, no, please…!_

Reita never stopped kissing him, bubbles floating up and away from their united lips, but slowly the pirate stopped to convulse and his hands released Aoi’s hips bit by bit.

His last breath drifted away towards the surface when Aoi detached from his mouth and he saw his eyes shut down, he saw their life spark die like his body did.

For a moment, everything became silent, the merman feeling his own chest starting to twist and shatter to see his blond locks caress that lifeless face, his lips still curved into a tender smile.

The Prince held him closer and there, his sobs grew bigger and bigger, excruciating wails that made the water vibrate around them.

He screamed, high-pitched and hoarse screeches, while clawing at the body of his lost lover and shock waves set off around him, pushing and pulling the water around him.

He shouted his rage, his desperation, his affliction and the more he yelled, the more Aoi’s body started to glow again.

The ocean around them was being disturbed by the sinking Hellion, big chunks of the ship dipping down around and beneath them.

Aoi screamed more, his face wrinkled and his teeth bared, arching his head back and holding Reita to his chest with so much tenderness and care, but with so much force his arms quivered.

His heart tightened more and more, his muscles tearing away from his bones, an incredible amount of pressure was building up inside his chest, inside his head.

Then something snapped inside him, Aoi could feel it: something made his whole body scalding hot, making the water around him frizzle.

Every bit of pain was gone, every emotion he felt was gone, sunken into an abyss of pure, odd calmness.

Aoi looked down and he saw his own chest lit up from the inside, showing the shadow of his ribs against his own skin and muscles, the form of his inflating and deflating lungs, his beating heart.

The glow stopped right under the collarbone and shone a white-blue light on Reita’s relaxed face.

Aoi gazed his marvelous features, moving a shaking hand to caress his cheek, his parted lips, cup his jaw in his palm and where that hand touched him, Reita’s skin gleamed softly of the same glow that enveloped Aoi’s body.

The merman’s face was no more a tangle of pain and suffering, but his expression was blank and his lips parted to whisper a little, slow tune.

_Do you hear me…?~_

The glowing of both their bodies started to form a dome around them and Aoi’s gills vibrated, chanting a soft melody.  


The merman passed his glowing azure eyes all over his lover’s face, almost studying how the light played on his brows, along the jawline, on the band that still clothes his nose.

_If I sing, my angel, will you hear me…?~_

Aoi moved one hand, arching his back, and his hooded eyes moved to look at his trident: his weapon was lighting up as much as him, floating towards him like it was alive.

_If I sing, my angel, will you cross the line…?~_  


Aoi waved his trident towards his face and slowly he kissed the aquamarine on its middle tooth.

The merman then took his weapon at his chest and there he sank its sharp gemstone inside the hole Takashima made in his flesh only minutes before.

The burn inside his body increased, but Aoi never felt it: he opened his mouth continuing to sing in a strange language, white smoke passing beyond his teeth.

His own soul was there in front of him, dancing in the water and around them like a beautiful, elegant jellyfish.

_Would you pierce the veil…~_

Aoi’s full body trembled, gripping his trident, and his eyes closed without missing a beat of that enchanted song, the glow expanding around them as that puff of mist floated down, caressing Reita’s face with it’s transparent appendages.

The previous, deadly silence got filled by a low rumble, a slow buzz coming from both of them, charging up, tensing the water around them.

_Would you cross the line…~_

The white spell then darted forward and merged inside Reita, shaking him up from head to toe and against Aoi’s still lit-up chest.

A harsh, white light exploded then, pushing away everything like the shock wave of a bomb, destroying more of the sinking ship, pushing away the yawls of the Hellion’s crew above them, pressing against Ruki and Uruha not far away from them, touching the very bottom of the sea.

Then a scream, an order, a plead could be heard in that blast of pure power.

_**COME BACK TO ME~** _

In that cocoon of pure white, Reita fluttered his eyes open to look up, gaze upon the translucent deity that was holding him, dark hair floating around his transfixed face.

Reita thought he just reached paradise, because nothing mortal was comparable to that sight “ _come back to me…~_ ” Aoi chanted again, glancing in those dark, sweet irises.

Smiling, he caressed his beloved human, bowing low until their lip met again in an enamored kiss that sank them both into a deep unconsciusness.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was so tired.

So drained that even breathing was painful.

His body twitched a couple of times, a low moan gurgled in his throat “good morning my Prince” a husky voice rolled into his ear and Aoi’s brain suddenly powered up.

He forced himself to open his eyes and there he was, a golden ray of sunshine, laying down on the beach they washed up to, his arm casually draped on the merman’s waist and waves lapping their legs and tail sluggishly “Re…i…” Aoi mumbled surprised.

_He… he was alive! He was…!_

Suddenly Aoi jumped him, wrapping his arms around his neck, kissing him forcefully with tears streaming down his face “you…!” he cried happily “are… alive!” Aoi continued to talk between those heated kisses and Reita chuckled.

Oh how he missed that smoky laugh…! “Never felt better, Princey” he joked, feeling a fist hit his chest “I HATE YOU, YOU DUMB FUCK!” Aoi cried again while laughing “I… I hate you… you scared me…!” added nuzzling his face against Reita’s neck.

The captain smiled and held his precious jewel tight, caressing his head “I promise I’ll never scare you this much…” he mumbled, kissing those dark locks just above the tip of his ear.

Aoi laughed again, before groaning in pain “I think… I need a marlinbulance, now…” he whispered.

His tail was still unresponsive, his body ached everywhere, but feeling the warmth of his dear Captain was already a good medicine “you look beautiful even when you look like shit… it’s impossible” Reita joked again, cupping the merman’s face in his hands “I love you” he whispered on his lips.

Aoi smiled relived “I love you” he answered, hearing in the background Ruki’s angry yells and Uruha’s worried calls, along with Kai’s voice.

Their hearts moved at the same rhythm, inside their chests, and Aoi closed his eyes just to relish on those warm feelings, just to cherish the presence of Reita with him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [*Insert Jack Sparrow Run here*](https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m85e0xJ6CZ1rqfhi2o1_500.gif)

_“Two satchels of gold… here! You earned it son!”_

_“Thanks mate! Oh, and… the charmer here is drugged so no struggle! Take your time eh?”_

_“Sure thing son, I know they can put up a fight sometimes. See ya!”_

A light pat on a big, iridescent blue tail, then the seller left the slaughterhouse, making his gold jingle in the bags.

The butcher moved few feet around his shop and started whetting his big cleaver not so far away from him, humming something with closed lips while the blade was whistling against the whetting pelt.

Shooting little glances towards his workbench still stained with old blood, the chubby man chuckled “it’s been a while since I got one of your kind, you know? I bet that pirate is drinking all the money I gave him by now” his voice was almost kind, for someone that was going to kill.

The merman laying on the workbench made an irritated chuff, rolling his eyes and patting his iridescent blue tail on the stained wood “shush, don’t worry, I’ll be quick… I’m not a monster” the butcher barked a laugh, walking towards him “it’s a shame, you’re really a beauty” he continued, grasping the merman’s face with hard, calloused fingers, squeezing to make his lips pucker out.

Aoi turned his head away, looking up with an unimpressed expression “ok, close your eyes sweetie, I don’t want it to be a messy decapitation” the butcher rose his cleaver, taking his time to aim well.

The Prince looked outside the shop window where humans stopped to watch him, feeling nervous, and clenched his tied-up fists on his chest closing his eyes shut.

_C’mon… where the fuck are you!?_

Suddenly the little crowd outside the window started to scream and the big brick launched against the glass hit the butcher’s cleaver, sending it flying away.

Aoi snapped his eyes open in time to see someone jump over the workbench, double-kicking the butcher on the ground before hauling the merman on his shoulder “THIEF! CALL THE GUARDS!!” the butcher shouted, trying to get back on his feet.

Aoi felt an arm tighten around his waist and the man that stole him started run down the cobblestoned streets, laughing “you’re fucking late!!” the merman yelled, while Reita was running towards the port “that guy almost killed me, you idiot!”.

**_CATCH THAT PIRATE!!_ **

The blond captain turned his head a little and grinned “sorry Princey! I wanted to make a good entrance!” he talked jokingly, patting the bent over tail of his lover.

The pirate zigzagged in the streets dodging old people, young ladies and jumping over a little stone wall, reaching the entrance of the port “don’t be mad at me, my sweetheart~” Reita chuckled, living a quick peck on the scales on his side.

Aoi blushed hard at that little display of love, but tried to hide it to his companion “why didn’t they bought my scales?? I just shed them for Neptune’s sake!” he yelled, while a little group of armed guards started following them.

Reita stopped on his track, suddenly, cursing under his breath “wh-what’s going on??” Aoi called trying to look, but Reita sprinted again, taking a narrow side alley and yanking a surprised yell from his lover.

He answered the merman with a less cheerful tone in his now breathy voice “sorry darlin’… no prey, no pay! They wanted the real deal there” he panted, entering another street, running away from the ocean.

Aoi rolled his eyes, holding himself with his clawed fingers against Reita’s low back, then he called his captain again “Rei…? There’s more of them?!” he shrieked, moving the head left and right.

Guards were starting flooding the streets, swords in hands and some were preparing their muskets to fire at the couple “I know, calm down! You’re scratching me!” Reita answered hastily, moving his feet up a long stone staircase, spiraling towards a promontory.

Aoi looked over Reita’s shoulder and he felt the blood run away from his face “Rei…we’re going up??” he yelled.

“Yeah I know, Princey!”  
“WHY WE’RE GOING UP??”  
“Calm down, I have a plan…”  
“CALM DOWN?!”

At the top of that promontory, a little tower was looking at the see under them and a round, little plaza was sprinkled with flowerpots and a couple of benches.

Unluckly for the couple, at the exit of that long staircase a couple of guards blocked their path “stop right there pirate! Unhand the stolen goods and you’ll have a fair tria-!”.

The guard that was talking got his words choked when Reita rose a fist against his throat, Aoi using his tail to slap the other guard off their way and off the staircase.

Reita laughed out of enjoyment and Aoi growled “I SWEAR IF I SURVIVE THIS, HUMAN…!” he shouted again, watching more and more guards spill from every door, circling them.

Aoi couldn’t see their number, because his head was in the direction of the low stone parapet that hugged the little plaza and there he saw the open sea, almost half a mile under them “fuck… fuckfuckfuck it’s high here…!” mumbled scraping at Reita’s back like a scared cat.

Reita tightened his hold on Aoi’s body and chuckled “it was all fun, guys, but me and my better half need to go home now!” he cheered with a grin on his face, before turning his back to them.

Aoi tensed up, holding to Reita’s shoulder when he saw every and each guard look at them with horror and surprise “Noooo Rei! Nope! D-don’t, it’s too high! REI-!” the merman shrieked when Reita laughed one last time.

The pirate run against the parapet, pushing his foot on it and he launched both him and the merman forward, plunging down “REI I FUCKING HATE YOUUUuuuu!!” Aoi screamed again, holding to him tight.

They flew down, hitting the water and sinking a good amount of feet before they resurfaced “Woohoo! That was AWESOME!” Reita howled cheerfully splashing water around him, before Aoi’s hands gripped around his neck “Awesome!? Are you fucking crazy??” he growled at his face, but the pirate made a smug grin “for you? Always” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around the merman’s waist.

Aoi blushed again, but this time he bared his teeth at his lover “no sex for a week!” he threatened, trying to make Reita stop approaching “t-two weeks!” the merman added, when the blond captain smiled at him tenderly “a… a month…?” tried with now a lower insecure voice, losing himself into the kiss that the captain gave him.

Aoi almost moaned in that effusion, swaying his tail to maintain both of them up, but that movement got him brush against his dear captain’s body.

His heat, his lips devouring his own, that damned tongue of his caressing and stroking.

Aoi wrapped his arms around Reita’s neck, pressing into the kiss the spark he felt deep inside his chest “you still mad, darlin’?” Reita mumbled smirking, tickling the merman’s lips while talking.

Aoi only nodded with his head, but his face was completely washed over with the passion of the kiss “Awww… I’ll state my apologies really soon… on my bed… inside you” Reita murmured before biting Aoi’s bottom lip.

The merman moaned once more, his breath was quicker and deeper, shivering at the touch of Reita’s hands on his hips “a-at least…you got enough money for Taka-two…” the merman whispered leaning for another kiss.

“I think we’ll have to make another fake sell to round off, Princey…”  


## “WHAT?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't wait anymore!  
> Finally this fic is complete, I can't believe it çWç It was sooo much fun write it I already miss this story <3  
> Thanks to miya for her wonderful comic and aoi_sensei for her amazing ideas and thanks to anyone who lurked and read this my first english creation!  
> You all have the sacred blessing of our dear Prince Aoi and of his beloved (princess?) Captain Reita!
> 
> EDIT: [A little bonus!](https://78.media.tumblr.com/4f6d03d2da5940f3983627a52c12f11c/tumblr_owy87m8S3j1rqrfono1_400.gif)


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